Two of our favorite programs started back up with a bang this week! Feed Our Kids provided 2,379 lunches for local kids and GRACE Grocery Giveaway provided fresh groceries for 89 families! We are so glad to have these programs back and so appreciative of everyone who participated.
These programs are two ways our community works with GRACE to address food insecurity in our area! Food insecurity refers to the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods. Food insecure children are those children living in households experiencing food insecurity. The rate of food insecurity for children in Tarrant County surpasses the national rate by over 3.7%. This means many children in Tarrant County live in families who do not have adequate and healthy food for all household members.
These two programs are fun and really make you feel like you’ve made an immediate difference in a child or family’s life.
The premise of FOK is pretty simple, local groups sign up to provide lunches and hand them out to the kids and families that show up. What was exciting this week was to see GRACE HQ and our other locations alive again! Now that pandemic restrictions have eased, kids are able to get out of the house, enjoy the nice weather, and focus on being kids. It was great seeing kids running, playing tag, throwing baseballs, and eating lunch with their friends.
GGG was also a huge success, this program is fascinating because of the large impact it has on helping to create happy, healthy homes.
The tables are set up like a farmer’s market, stocked with impressive, healthful items. The structure is intentional in developing a positive relationship with the recipients, so families can select foods that meet their dietary needs and meal preferences.
Participants are offered an incredible variety of meat, milk, eggs, potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, melon, apples, oranges, sugar snap peas, fresh green beans, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, peppers, cilantro, spaghetti squash, zucchini, rice, beans, split peas, lettuce, salad, raspberries, blue berries, grapes… just to name a few items!
Families would not be able to walk away with healthy grocery items if it weren’t for a dedicated team of volunteers to power the project and, of course, our incredible donors who steward their resources to the community. So thank you to everyone who worked so hard this week to get things started!
These programs are only beginning so be prepared for more updates and if you’d like to learn how you can participate contact our Seasonal Programs Coordinator Beth Chernik at bchernik@gracegrapevine.org or 817-690-4136
