Campaign Against Summer Hunger kicks off fourth year

All Faiths Food Bank CEO Sandra Frank painted a poignant picture of child hunger on March 29 during the Campaign Against Summer Hunger Kick Off Breakfast.

“When you see children on the school bus, on the soccer field, hitting a baseball, one out of every two of those children are hungry,” Frank said.

Representatives from dozens of community organizations gathered at Michael’s On East to launch the fourth annual Campaign Against Summer Hunger to mitigate the effects of food insecurity after school dismisses for the summer.

All Faiths Food Bank estimates there are 40,000 children in Sarasota and DeSoto counties and their younger siblings who won’t have a reliable source of enough food this summer.

Campaign advertisements throughout the Michael’s On East ballroom reminded community partners “hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation.” However, the resources available to children suffering from food insecurity do.

Last year’s campaign reached 31,000 children, but Feeding America Chairman Keith Monda and Gulf Coast Community Foundation Senior Vice President for Philanthropy Veronica Brady told guests this year the campaign was setting its bar higher.

All Faiths Food Bank, along with its community partners, will attempt to serve 35,000 children this summer and raise a total of $1.3 million, of which up to $650,000 will be matched.

As guests filed out of the ballroom, they filled up their bags with rubber bracelets, posters and cards advertising the campaign, which runs until May 15.

“Post it. Mail it. Wear it,” Frank encouraged community partners. “Get all this, please, out into the community, because there are 40,000 kids depending on you.”

To donate, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.