Monroe YMCA food program receives $15,000 grant

Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News
·3 min read
Schmitz
Schmitz
Monroe Family YMCA
Monroe Family YMCA

The Monroe Family YMCA was one of 14 Michigan organizations to receive a grant recently from Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign.

No Kid Hungry granted nearly $168,000 to 14 schools and community organizations in Michigan.

“These grants will be used to expand their afterschool meal programs that support kids and families,” said Adrienne Carter, media manager for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry program.

The Monroe Family YMCA had to apply for the competitive grant.

“This one-time grant is for $15,000,” said Amanda Schmitz, social responsibility and

community outreach director and food service delivery facilitator at the Y. “However, Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry have been incredibly supportive of our feeding work for five years. We truly appreciate our partnership with them so that we may continue to innovate our community feeding efforts.”

The grant funds will help to feed local children.

“The funding will be used to identify gaps in healthy meal service and food deserts during out-of-school time and to provide additional meal distributions sites throughout Monroe County,” Schmitz said. “This will be achieved by working with community partners and U.S. Department of Agriculture resources. The grant will also be used to support nutrition education to Monroe County youth, utilizing evidence-based curricula. Access to nutritious food should not be a concern for any family in Monroe County, as it is the most basic need for healthy development. Every child deserves access to healthy meals so that they can learn, grow and thrive. On behalf of the Monroe Family YMCA, we are grateful for the continued support from community partners, funders and USDA and Michigan Department of Education so that we may continue to positively impact our community through this mission work."

Schmitz recently returned from presenting at the National CACFP Child Nutrition Conference.

“I was invited to speak to colleagues throughout the nation about the innovative strategies we have adopted as best practices to operate a successful and sustainable meal distribution program,” she said. “I presented alongside Stacey McDaniel, manager movement engagement, innovative priorities and food programs at YMCA of the USA, and Crystal FitzSimons, director of school and out-of-school time programs at Food & Research Advocacy Center. We were invited to present because we are recognized as a top-performing food program in the nation, most recently being one of seven to receive the USDA Turnip The Beet Award in the state of Michigan. We have a passion for and are dedicated to ensuring all kids in Monroe County have an opportunity to receive high-quality meals.”

To learn more about the YMCA’s food program, including meal sites and food distributions, visit monroefamilyymca.org.

No Kid Hungry is on a mission to feed American children.

"In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, one in six kids could face hunger this year," the organization said. "No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve."

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe YMCA food program receives $15,000 grant