Seventy-five kids in North Kitsap won’t go hungry when school lets out for holidays Dec. 16, thanks to the Food4Kids program in North Kitsap.
Last June, at Rotary’s annual Swing for Rotary golf tournament and auction, patrons raised their paddles for Food4Kids. Almost $10,000 was raised, so that when school ends the food program doesn’t end for kids in need. According to Rotarian Fredrick Branchflower, Food4Kids was launched about 10 years ago by a coalition of Kingston Rotarians, Kingston Kiwanians, north end school leaders, and the Kingston Food Bank. Its focus is on serving the north end schools, including Wolfle Elementary, Gordon Elementary, Kingston Middle and Kingston High School.
Today, Food4Kids is a coalition of ShareNet Food Bank, Kingston Food Bank, S’Klallam Food Bank, North Kitsap School District, Kingston Kiwanis, Kingston North Kitsap Rotary, and several local churches. It serves on average 75 kids during winter break, spring break, and weekends during summer break.
Food4Kids operates as part of Kingston Cares, an umbrella organization that provides coordination and financial clearing services to community groups who are helping to fill the year-round food need for kids in our community. The goal is to provide 365 days of breakfast and lunch for the children most in need. Mondays through Fridays during the school year are accounted for by the North Kitsap School District’s free- and reduced-cost food program. Food4Kids accounts for 39 days, principally during winter and spring breaks. ShareNet, through a program called Food2GrowOn, provides 76 days — weekends during the school year — while the S’Klallam USDA Summer Meal Program serves kids 39 days when there is no school during summer months. In total, kids are not going hungry 333 days a year, leaving a 32-day gap Kingston Cares is working to address.
Why the need? Parents may be unemployed. They may have health issues or may be living paycheck-to-paycheck when the car breaks down. It costs approximately $3.50 per day to support a hungry child. Such low cost would not be possible without endless volunteer hours of food bank volunteers, S’Klallam volunteers, school district volunteers, Kingston Kiwanians and Kingston Rotarians.
Approximately 40 volunteers in the community make Kingston Cares a reality. Why do they do it? Notes like this explain:
“To those who put together the food boxes, thank you so much for the food boxes. Our family was very appreciative. My kids made banana bread together and my son especially loved the milk boxes. We wanted to make sure you were thanked. Blessings to you all. From a blessed family.”
According to Pat Bennett-Forman of Kingston Kiwanis, and chairwoman of Food4Kids, “This demonstrates when the community gets together, miracles happen. We can create miracles for kids, who through no fault of their own, have no food to eat. When they are healthy — when they have food to eat — they benefit from school. They learn. Otherwise, not so much.”
What is the greatest need? There is always a need for money as the effort moves forward to fill that 32-day gap. Folks interested in donating to Food4Kids can contact Rotarian Branchflower at fbranchflower@comcast.net. There is also a need for help writing grant applications. Anyone with such experience is encouraged to contact Kiwanian Bennett-Forman at bennett forman.p@gmail.com.
— Contact Ron Carter at rcarter010@centurytel.net.
