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FOOD4KIDS
Weekly Food Packages for Hungry Kitsap Kids During School Breaks

Hungry kids are at risk of health issues, developmental issues, and behavioral issues.

With a full stomach, children are able to interact well with others and excel in school.

We provide and deliver nutritious, kid-friendly meals to over 130 local students who lack access to other food programs during school breaks. This number has increased from the previous years.

11,000 meals were provided in all of 2022.  As of September 2023, 13,762 meals have been provided.

From 2011 to December 2022, Food4Kids served over 1000 students, providing over 96,300 meals.

11,000 meals were provided in 2022!

We anticipate continued growth in 2023 as more children participate in the program.

Packing Food Bags for Hungry Kids

2019 – 2021

33 weeks of food for over 120 kids

2022

9 weeks of food for over 120 kids

2023

We have experienced a higher need in 2023.  As of September, 8 weeks of food for approximately 130 kids with two weeks of Winter Packing remaining.

Food for packing for kids meals

What We Need – Your Monetary Support!

Funding Fuels Food4Kids – We rely on grants and donations to purchase the food, which includes fresh fruit and vegetables.

Donate money for food – 100% of donations goes toward food purchases.

Join our group of volunteers!

Volunteers from across the community help pack and deliver the meals.

We typically pack at Wolfle Elementary School or the S’Klallam Tribal Gym, however, due to Covid we had to pivot. We are grateful for a generous couple who opened up a large space to us this year so that food could be packed by socially distanced (and mask wearing) volunteers.

Food4Kids Volunteers

Stan Mack shares the story behind the founding of Kingston Cares and the history of the Food4Kids program.

Impact Stories – How food access helps

Child with food insecurity

Reduces worry about lack of food

Parents and caregivers are appreciative of the Food4Kids program.  Kids often wait outside for the food delivery and offer to help carry in the bags. One mom came out to help with the delivery and we were able to provide her two extra bags of food.  She was overwhelmed and thanked us profusely, saying with tears in her eyes, “we can really use this now.”

Kids in a school bus line

Improves behavior

After a holiday, a bus driver went into the school to talk to the guidance counselor following his morning run, relating that the behavior on the bus was unusually good and inquiring what had happened? What happened? Students had eaten over the break and weren’t arriving at school hungry.

Upset girl

Reduces fear so a child can focus on school

A volunteer at Wolfle shared that a previously inquisitive, lively little girl became belligerent and hostile in the two weeks leading up to the winter break. The child could not focus on learning. The volunteer asked the teacher what was going on and her response was that the little girl was upset that school was closing and was worried she wouldn’t have any food to eat over the holiday. Her focus was on fear of hunger rather than schoolwork.

Thank-you to our partners

Kingston Cares thanks our partners for their support to Food4Kids

  • North Kitsap School District

  • ShareNet and S’Klallam Food Banks

  • Greater Kingston Kiwanis

  • Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club

We also appreciate the grants from national and local organizations and the generous donations from individuals that provide funding.

Donate to Kingston Cares

We rely on you!
Help us purchase food for our Food4Kids program, including fresh fruit and vegetables.

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