The 1 in 5: Community organizers raise awareness of free summer meals

A door hanger left by COFI community organizers detailing how to access free summer meal programs.

“There are plenty of good people here,” Tara Williams said as she stood on the corner of 63^rd St. and Carpenter Ave. in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.

Her sentiments are echoed by her fellow community organizers Donna Carpenter, Valerie Carroll and Charlene Campbell. Tara, Donna and Valerie are longtime Englewood residents, and take extra pride in their community organizing efforts in Englewood.

The four women work with Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI) and spend their days canvassing high-need Chicago neighborhoods to increase awareness of free summer meal programs available for children.

“We go door to door, speaking with people and giving them packets of information about summer meals near them. We’ll also leave door hangers at houses where no one answers, and we hope that they read the information and use it or pass it along to a friend or family member,” said Charlene, a longtime COFI community organizer.

COFI community organizer Charlene Campbell knocks on the door of a home in the Englewood neighborhood.

The need for food assistance among children in Englewood is high. More than 60 percent of children live in poverty, which creates further barriers to a steady and nutritious food supply.

During the summer, COFI community organizers reach out to the community to spread the word about free summer meal sites on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Other COFI community organizers also canvass throughout South Lawndale in Chicago, and in suburban Cicero.

Even with a high number of Englewood residents facing food insecurity, the COFI community organizers are optimistic that their canvassing efforts are bringing a good service to residents everywhere they go.

With the help of summer meals outreach, the Food Depository is on track to serve more than 400,000 meals to children this summer through programs such as the Lunch Bus and a new meal distribution at five Chicago Public Library branches.

The 1 in 5: A book and a meal

Emily Clark and her father, Hillery, play board games at the Back of the Yards library after Emily finished her lunch.

At the library, 4-year-old Emily Clark was sharing some crackers with her shiny green dinosaur. Her father, Hillery, looked on.

“I’ll have to skip a meal sometimes, usually breakfast or lunch, but I really don’t want her to,” Hillery said.

That’s why Hillery brought Emily to the Back of the Yards Branch of the Chicago Public Library. This summer, the Chicago Public Library has partnered with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to fight hunger in Cook County by offering free summer meals at five library branches throughout the community.

The partnership addresses a significant need – nearly 255,000 children are at risk of hunger in Cook County. And during the summer, children are at an increased risk of hunger because many no longer receive free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch at school.

“When kids are hungry, they can’t learn as well,” said Maggie Clemons, the Back of the Yards Branch Manager. “We have a lot of kids in the community who receive free or reduced-price lunches at school, so these kids are able to eat meals here during the summer.”

For Hillery, the library meals program is an important safety net. He has been taking part-time carpentry jobs, but hasn’t been able to find full-time employment for the last three years. His wife is disabled and cannot work, so their budget is tight.

“I can’t make rent without working right now,” Hillery said. “And we’ve been paying the gas company $100 a month since January, but we still owe them money.”

At the library, children receive nutritious, shelf-stable meals. The Back of the Yards Branch serves approximately 30 meals per day.

“I’m really happy that we’re part of the program,” Maggie said. “It fits well with the library’s mission of strengthening the community and encouraging learning.”

Meanwhile, Emily and her dinosaur have finished lunch and moved on to play dress-up. As she ties a colored scarf around the stuffed animal’s neck, her father smiles.

“She seems to enjoy the program. She’s having fun, so everyone’s happy,” he said.

The 1 in 5: Beyond the meal

Maintaining a consistent, healthy diet is critical for children's development, acording to Dr. Angela Odoms-Young.

For children, food is critical to a healthy life. Meal programs throughout Cook County provide an important source of nutrition support, but their benefits go well beyond a full stomach.

Dr. Angela Odoms-Young, an assistant professor in the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition and a Greater Chicago Food Depository board member, has studied the effects of hunger on children.

“Children need healthy food and a healthy diet for normal growth and development,” she said. “Kids who are food insecure often see poor cognitive development.”

A lack of consistent nutrition can cause significant issues for children, such as behavioral problems and reduced academic performance, Angela said.

“We must invest in children’s health early in their lives,” she said. “Good nutrition is associated with positive academic performance and overall better outcomes in kids.”

For children, achieving those results starts at breakfast. But, many children don’t eat breakfast before coming to school, which is why the Food Depository advocates for the expansion of school breakfast.

“Children who eat breakfast have a better dietary quality and there’s also evidence to suggest that breakfast increases cognitive performance throughout the day,” Angela said.

For food insecure children, after school and summer meals at home are not guaranteed. Programs such as the Food Depository’s Kids Cafe make sure children have the food they need after classes are over.

“After-school meals contribute to the overall nutritional adequacy of what kids eat in a day,” Angela said. “They also help families with food stability. They’re a consistent source of support, which helps offset other negative issues children might be experiencing at home.”

Children’s meal programs are federally funded by Child Nutrition Reauthorization, which is set to expire at the end of September. A reduction in funding could have dramatic effects on children’s health, Angela said.

“These programs have helped alleviate child poverty and food insecurity,” she said. “They help fill a gap in society.”

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