House Invests $1,175,000 Per Year to Help 1 in 5 Ohio Children Living in Food-Insecure Households
COLUMBUS, OH (May 10, 2019) – Children’s Hunger Alliance, a statewide non-profit dedicated to ending childhood hunger in Ohio, expresses their appreciation to the Ohio House of Representatives for including a generous investment of $1,175,000 per year in the state biennial budget (Am. Sub. HB 166). If this allocation is included in the final budget, Children’s Hunger Alliance will have the capacity to continue their work serving children struggling with poverty through programming in four core areas – early childhood nutrition in daycare homes and centers, afterschool meals, school and summer nutrition and nutrition education.
“I want to express our sincere thanks to Speaker Larry Householder, Minority Leader Emilia Sykes and members of the Ohio House of Representatives for their investment in our children,” said Judy Mobley, president and CEO of Children’s Hunger Alliance. “More than 529,000 of Ohio’s children do not have enough to eat, and they rely on the healthy meals we help provide. While we are one of the largest and most geographically diverse sponsors of the federal nutrition programs in Ohio there are many more children that need our help and this funding will allow us to reach them.”
Lack of proper nutrition negatively impacts a child’s ability to learn and grow, ultimately limiting a child’s potential. In Ohio, one in five children are living in food insecure homes without adequate access to healthy meals. Children’s Hunger Alliance works alongside community partners to serve children where the need is most critical. Last year, Children’s Hunger Alliance provided approximately 7 million meals to Ohio children through its partnerships with 275 afterschool programs, 30 daycare centers, and nearly 800 in-home child care providers throughout the state leveraging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s federal nutrition programs, administered by the Ohio Department of Education. Their direct sponsorship work returns millions of dollars back to Ohio. The agency also helped increase access to school breakfast and summer meals for thousands of students.
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About Children’s Hunger Alliance
Founded in 1970, Children’s Hunger Alliance is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in Ohio. Through their work, Children’s Hunger Alliance provides healthy meals to hungry children, advocates for the welfare of Ohio’s youngest citizens and teaches nutrition and physical education to those they serve.