Share Our Strength

TO END HUNGER AND POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD, WITH A PRIORITY ON ENDING CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN AMERICA.

NO KID HUNGRY:IN 2010, SHARE OUR STRENGTH LAUNCHED THE NO KID HUNGRY CAMPAIGN WITH THE GOAL OF ENSURING THREE HEALTHY MEALS A DAY, EVERY DAY, FOR EVERY CHILD IN AMERICA. IN JUST OVER A DECADE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED HUGE GAPS IN FEDERAL CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS, CONNECTED CHILDREN TO MORE THAN ONE BILLION MEALS, AND DRAMATICALLY EXPANDED THE REACH OF AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS. WE WORK WITH SCHOOLS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO LAUNCH AND GROW EFFECTIVE, SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS THAT WILL FEED HUNGRY KIDS TODAY AND WELL INTO THE FUTURE. IN FY21, WE CONTINUED TO SEE AN UNPRECEDENTED NEED FOR ACCESS TO NUTRITION FROM CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AS WELL AS A CONTINUATION OF INCREASED SUPPORT FROM DONORS FOR OUR WORK. OUR TEAM WORKED WITH SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY NONPROFITS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SUPPORT THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE MEALS DURING THE ONGOING SCHOOL CLOSURES AND COVID VIRUS OUTBREAKS DURING THE SUMMER OF 2020 AND SCHOOL YEAR 20-21. WE CONDUCTED 17 TRAININGS AND DISTRIBUTED NEW RESOURCES, TEMPLATES AND GUIDANCE TO OUR NETWORK OF MORE THAN 10,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS. SIGNIFICANT EFFORT WAS MADE TO ENSURE WE WERE DIRECTLY SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES, AND CHILDREN HEAVILY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. WE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN $57 MILLION IN FUNDS THROUGH 1,500 GRANTS TO SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AIDING THESE GROUPS IN SERVING MEALS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE ADVOCATED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF CRITICAL NATIONAL CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM WAIVERS TO ENSURE MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO FEED KIDS SAFELY AND WITH DIGNITY. IN ADDITION, WE HELPED TO ADVANCE 15 POLICIES TO EXPAND NUTRITION ACCESS TO KIDS AND FAMILIES ACROSS 7 STATES, AND ADVOCATED FOR THE PERMANENT AUTHORIZATION OF PANDEMIC-EBT DURING THE COVID CRISIS AND BENEFIT AVAILABILITY THROUGH SUMMER 2021. IN 2021, WE BUILT OUT A BODY OF WORK FOCUSED ON ENSURING CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF SIX HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS MEALS IN WAYS THAT ARE SCALABLE, REPLICABLE, AND FUNDABLE. WE ADDRESSED COVID EMERGENCY NEEDS THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF $3M TO 126 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SERVING THIS POPULATION. WE ARE CONTINUING THIS CRITICAL WORK TO MAKE SURE CHILDREN ARE FED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF GRANTS, STRATEGIC ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS.

COOKING MATTERS CAMPAIGN:SHARE OUR STRENGTH'S COOKING MATTERS PROGRAM DELIVERS QUALITY FOOD SKILLS AND NUTRITION EDUCATION TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO HELP THEM PROVIDE THEIR KIDS WITH HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE MEALS AT HOME. PARTICIPANTS LEARN TO SHOP SMARTER, USE NUTRITION INFORMATION ON PRODUCTS, AND COOK DELICIOUS MEALS ON A TIGHT BUDGET. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS WORK BY 1) LEVERAGING OUR NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF PARTNERS THAT DIRECTLY EDUCATE FAMILIES USING OUR COOKING MATTERS CURRICULA AND RESOURCES; 2) MAKING OUR CONTENT WIDELY AVAILABLE TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS ONLINE AND THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TOOLS THAT ALLOW THEM TO LEARN AT A PACE AND TIME THAT IS CONVENIENT FOR THEM; AND 3) INCREASING THE OPPORTUNITIES PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS HAVE TO ACCESS FOOD SKILLS AND NUTRITION EDUCATION WITHIN SYSTEMS THEY ARE ALREADY ACCESSING (I.E., HEALTHCARE). IN FY21, WE EXPANDED OUR CONTENT OFFERINGS IN VIRTUAL LEARNING SPACES (SUCH AS ZOOM) AND OUR PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK, UTILIZING MORE PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS CO-PRESENTERS AND UTILIZING DIGITAL TOOLS TO MAKE THE CONTENT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. WE ALSO CONNECTED 4.6 MILLION PEOPLE TO COOKING MATTERS CONTENT IN-PERSON AND ONLINE DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, BOTH THROUGH OUR TEAM ON THE GROUND AND MORE THAN 150 LOCAL PARTNERS. THROUGH OUR EVALUATION OF COOKING MATTERS IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING, WE KNOW THAT OVER 30% OF ALL ADULT PARTICIPANTS INTEND TO LET KIDS HELP PLAN, PREPARE, AND SERVE THEMSELVES DURING MEALS FOR THE FIRST TIME; OVER 60% OF ALL ADULT PARTICIPANTS INTEND TO COMPARE PRICES, READ INGREDIENT LISTS, AND COMPARE FOOD LABELS TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES WHEN SHOPPING; AND 99% OF PARENTS ACCESSING THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC) REPORT THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY WIC FOODS AT THE GROCERY STORE AND MAXIMIZE THEIR WIC BENEFITS TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.