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Connecting Kids
to Meals Receives Donation from Mercy and Toledo Teachers
On Monday, Oct. 26, 2020
Connecting Kids to Meals accepted a very generous donation
of $185,000 from Mercy Health, Mercy Health medical staff,
and the Toledo Federation of Teachers. These funds will be
used to help further Connecting Kids to Meals mission to
provide hot, nutritious meals at no cost to kids ages 18 and
under who are in low income and underserved areas throughout
the entire year.
As childhood hunger in
Lucas County and in the state continues to escalate due to
the pandemic, Connecting Kids to Meals expressed gratitude
in having support of local organizations who are committed
to the health and wellbeing of a precious asset – children.
Since 2002, Connecting
Kids to Meals has served over 6 million meals to hungry kids
in need.
“This tremendous
generosity of the leaders at Mercy Health is awe-inspiring.
This gift ensures that Connecting Kids to Meals can continue
our critical work of feeding children in our region and
allows us to advance our programming in much needed ways,”
said Wendi Huntley, president of Connecting Kids to Meals.
“This is not the first
time Mercy Health has shown such leadership and generosity.
Besides helping to build our new kitchen a few years ago and
aid with strategic planning, earlier this year at the onset
of the COVID pandemic, Mercy Health answered our plea for
emergency funding. That support from Mercy Health and other
funders allowed Connecting Kids to Meals to quickly shift to
new methods and scope of service at a critical time when
local school buildings and other facilities were forced to
close. In the midst of all of the ways Mercy Health was
already rendering essential service during the pandemic,
they never overlooked the needs of our community and our
children. Connecting Kids to Meals is grateful for
unwavering supporters like Mercy Health,” she added.
Connecting Kids to Meals,
formerly, Feed Lucas County Children, is a nonprofit
organization that partners with community locations where
kids gather during the summer months and throughout the
academic year.
Mercy Health approached
Connecting Kids to Meals after members of the medical staffs
at St. Vincent Medical Center, St. Charles Hospital and St.
Anne Hospital decided to donate money to the organization
collected through their annual dues. Collectively, the
medical staffs donated $50,000 to helping the area’s youth.
“As physicians and health
care providers, we see first-hand not only the importance of
a nutritious diet but also the uncertainty that many in our
community face when it comes to feeding their families,”
said Dr. Gregory Haselhuhn, chief of staff, Mercy Health –
St. Vincent Medical Center. “We wanted to show our support
for the important work that Connecting Kids to Meals does
throughout our community to ensure that all families receive
the most basic of needs – food.”
After learning of the
generosity of the medical staffs, leaders at Mercy Health –
St. Charles Hospital and Mercy Health – St. Anne Hospital as
well as in the market donated an additional $40,000 to the
organization. Mercy Health – Toledo Foundation matched the
entire donation.
Members of the Toledo
Federation of Teachers joined the donation and pledged
$5,000 to help feed area families.
“Caring for our community,
especially those who are underserved, is at the core of our
Mercy Health mission. I am proud of our medical staff
members and our leadership team for their support of
Connecting Kids to Meals and the mission of feeding our
children,” said Bob Baxter, president, Mercy Health –
Toledo. “Together, we can make a difference in the lives of
our friends, family and neighbors who face food
uncertainty.”
About Connecting Kids to
Meals Connecting Kids to Meals has been feeding hungry
at-risk kids for over 17 years. Some of the trusted partners
where meals are served include schools, libraries, churches,
community centers, parks and other locations where kids
gather. Last year, about 540,000 nutritious meals were
provided to kids during out-of-school time. To learn more
about CKM visit https://www.connectingkidstomeals.org/.
Contact - Wendi Huntley - 419-720-1106 - Wendi@ConnectingKidsToMeals.org
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