July 25, 2011

Because Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation

Author: Maria Diestro

I recently accompanied Santos Maldonado, our Childhood Hunger Programs Manager to take pictures of some of our Summer Feeding sites. Second Harvest currently sponsors 20 sites. Working with a major local food vendor, we are able to provide meals and snacks to children in low-income areas during the critical time when they lack access to school cafeterias.

As compared to June 2010, meals distributed doubled, from 12,642 to 25,753, making this the largest monthly increase since the program began. I will make sure to post an update for July when those numbers are available. I also learned that one of our most satisfying development this year is the expansion into Osceola County, specifically along the 192 corridor where many children of homeless families live in the motels. Read More …

May 24, 2011

We are all HOGstars!

Author: Sasha Hausman

Definition of a HOGstar (noun), a person who supported the Hogs Against Hunger fundraiser and ride to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s Hi-Five program. 

Hogstars come in many different forms. Some purchased raffle tickets online or at an event. Some shared or retweeted about the fundraiser. Some came out to participate in a ride down I-4 last Sunday. Some sold tickets in the Harley stores, and some volunteered to spread the word. Finally some spent tireless hours organizing and working the events. But no matter what kind of HOGstar you were, you were able to help raise over $45,000 to feed children in need in our community by purchasing $10 raffle tickets to win a 2011 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic.

What does $45,000 look like? Read More …

March 9, 2011

Second Harvest Childhood Hunger Programs

Author: Maria Diestro

Cape View Elementary School in Brevard County has become our 20th Hi-Five Kids Pack Partner School. Second Harvest Food Bank now offers the program in 3 counties; Orange, Volusia and Brevard. This latest addition was made possible by the generosity of IAP Worldwide Services based in Cape Canaveral.

The Hi-Five Kids Pack Program provides shelf-stable take-home meals for children who do not have access to school cafeterias over the weekend. It aims to provide a continuum of nutrition to youngsters in schools that have a high participation in the free and reduced school lunch program.

Second Harvest Food Bank started the Hi-Five program back in 2005 with two schools in Volusia County. This school year, we anticipate distribution exceeding 38,000 packs – The equivalent of 114,000 meals!

On another childhood related topic, 60 minutes aired a segment last night on the homeless children of Central Florida.  I urge you to take a moment to watch the segment.

Santos Maldonado
Childhood Hunger Programs Manager

February 1, 2011

Target helps add Hi-Five Kids Packs to Tangelo Elementary

Author: Maria Diestro

Last month volunteers from Target visited our Food Rescue Center facility to assemble and deliver the first allotment of Hi-Five Kids Packs to Tangelo Elementary School.

The group of Target volunteers were excited and filled with enthusiasm. The packs were completed in record time. Shortly thereafter, a caravan of cars made their way to the school, where the volunteers were greeted by Principal Tashanda Cannon-Brown and Nurse Gayle Wright.

In addition to donating time and energy into this project, Target also donated the product inside the Hi-Five Packs for Tangelo Elementary. This allows Second Harvest to provide the school with over 400 packs per month through the end of the school year.  

Second Harvest would like to thank Target and its volunteers for their commitment to combating childhood hunger and for making it possible to add one more school to our Hi-Five Kids Pack program. This brings our total number of schools to 19– more than have ever participated.

Target volunteers at Second Harvest’s Food Rescue Center:

December 9, 2010

Disney Donates $30,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank for Kids Cafe Program

Author: Dave Krepcho

Santa came early in the form of Walt Disney. Walt Disney World Resort presented us a check for $30,000 for our Kids Cafes!

Disney continues to be such a great corporate citizen and does so much behind the scenes. These funds will be instrumental in providing for our 13 Kids Cafes.

Without Disney’s help we would not be able to provide meals to 164,000 kids throughout the year. The children are our future and there’s nothing more basic than providing healthy nutritious foods for their development.

Click here to learn more about our Kids Cafe Program.

Thank you Disney!

Dave Krepcho
President & CEO