February 3, 2021
Funding to support afterschool, summer and holiday break meals
Dayton, OH (February 3, 2021) – CareSource announced a $200,000 donation to Columbus-based Children’s Hunger Alliance (CHA), a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to improving food access for kids in Ohio.
The investment will help fund CHA’s afterschool, summer and holiday break meal distributions throughout the next two years. Additionally, the investment may benefit CareSource members whose children attend CHA-sponsored afterschool or summer programs in their local community.
United by missions to improve the health and wellbeing of those they serve, CHA and CareSource’s partnership is more significant than ever before as the food insecurity rate for children is rising in Ohio. Before the pandemic, almost 500,000 – or 1 in 5 – children statewide were living in food-insecure homes. In the current crisis, the projected number is expected to be closer to 625,000 – or 1 in 4 – children.
“No child should ever have to wonder where their next meal is coming from,” said Steve Ringel, CareSource Ohio Market President. “CareSource is committed to supporting organizations like Children’s Hunger Alliance to ensure young Ohioans have a consistent supply of nutritious food to support their overall health.”
According to Judy Mobley, president and CEO of CHA, the pandemic has had a huge impact on kids and families living in poverty. As more parents and caregivers struggle to put food on their tables because of job losses or reduced salaries, more people are visiting CHA’s afterschool and summer partner sites.
So many kids rely on school for their daily dependable source of food. Organizations like CHA work to improve access to meals for children when school meals are not available. “I am grateful to CareSource for their continuous support throughout the years. This gift will help us fund our meal distribution in afterschool and summer programs, as well as school breaks. With CareSource’s support, we also hope to continue expanding our work in high-need areas where children’s needs are not currently being met. The CareSource partnership is critical to helping end childhood hunger in Ohio.” Mobley said.
About CareSource
CareSource is a nonprofit, multi-state health plan recognized as a national leader in managed care. Founded in 1989, CareSource administers one of the nation’s largest Medicaid managed care plans and offered a lifetime of access to care through health insurance, including Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare Advantage and dual-eligible programs. Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, CareSource serves 2 million members in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. CareSource understands the challenges consumers face navigating the health system and is transforming health care with industry-leading programs that improve the health and well-being of our members.
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