Hunger doesn’t care where you live

A message from Every Meal Board Chair Jenna Soule.

 I have been involved with Every Meal for many years as a volunteer, a financial supporter, and a board member. I wholeheartedly believe in Every Meal’s mission to fight child hunger and that has inspired me to help in different capacities. Currently, I am honored to serve as the Chair of Every Meal’s Board of Directors. Throughout my involvement, I’ve learned more than I ever imagined about food insecurity in our community and am proud of the way Every Meal shows up for children and families.

But one interaction with a teacher made the mission of Every Meal come to life and I’d like to share it with you. It reinforced the vital role that the Weekend Meal Program has on the development of children and their ability to learn and grow. I was visiting the Every Meal display at the Mall of America this past holiday season when a teacher came up and with tears in her eyes said:

It was evident in this teacher’s voice that she cared for those students like they were her own children. Her words left an indelible mark on my heart and has strengthened my resolve to do whatever I can to continue to support the mission of Every Meal.

Will you join me in helping Every Meal fulfill its mission so that hungry kids have food on the weekends? Your gift this spring will help to feed children throughout the remainder of the school year.

I know it might be hard to believe that food insecurity is a widespread issue. But the reality is that hunger doesn’t care where you live. When I distributed food into backpacks, it was at a school in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities; an area that you wouldn’t think would have students who are hungry. Through that experience, I learned there are families in all communities who are struggling and going through seasons of financial hardship for a variety of reasons.

Every Meal serves over 12,000 kids weekly at over 450 sites across Minnesota. There are also 188 schools on the waitlist for its Weekend Meal Program. So the chances are likely that Every Meal is in a school in your community or is needed.

I have seen Every Meal from many different perspectives. But my perspective drastically changed when I interacted with that teacher. When children have food on the weekends, they return to school on Mondays ready to learn. They have the energy to be engaged in the classroom and coming to school well-nourished means one less stress in their life.

Will you please join me in helping feed hungry kids with a gift? A donation of $6 covers the cost of one food bag, $24 provides food bags for one child for a month, or $368 provides food bags for one child for a year. Your support will provide so much more than a bag of food for the weekend. You will support a child’s ability to learn and grow and claim that kids in your community are “your children” too.

With gratitude,

Jenna Soule, Every Meal Board Chair

P.S. Join our Monthly Giving Circle or Leadership Giving Circle when you become a monthly donor or give a gift of $1,000 or more. Or, join both when you make a monthly gift of $85/month!