Kids' Food Basket, a non-profit organization that attacks childhood hunger in West Michigan, is excited to announce their recent recognition as Outstanding Volunteer Program of the Year by Governor Jennifer Granholm the Michigan Community Service Commission.
The award acknowledges the impact an organization or club makes in community life. Kids' Food Basket strives to ensure children in the community don't go to bed hungry. They provide healthy, tasty, efficient, and cost-effective sack suppers to children who are nutritionally at risk, five days a week. More than 3,000 volunteers help Kids' Food Basket achieve its mission, assembling evening meals, creating recognition projects for donors, picking up food, making sandwiches, performing administrative duties, packaging trail mix, delivering evening meals "sack suppers," and much more! In 2009 alone, volunteers contributed more than 23,000 hours of service to Kids' Food Basket - which allowed the organization to finish out the school year feeding more nearly 2,600 kids. The program's volunteerism rate alone has increased by 45 percent in the past year, allowing more and more young people to be served every day.
"Being named Volunteer Program of the year as an organization is an incredible honor. It is recognition that has been earned by hundreds of volunteers who dedicate themselves to attacking childhood hunger every day, one sack supper at a time," said Bridget Clark Whitney, executive director of Kids' Food basket. "It is also a huge honor for two of our biggest supporters to be finalists. Mary K and Kyle have worked tirelessly to make Kids' Food Basket a successful organization that our community loves and supports."
Over 130 nominations were received for the 2010 awards, with 35 finalists being selected in the seven categories. Winners were announced at a ceremony on June 24, 2010 in Detroit, Mich. at the Gem Theatre.
Kids' Food Basket attacks childhood hunger by providing nutritious sack suppers to nearly 2,600 children in schools throughout Greater Grand Rapids. Each sack supper provides approximately 1,000 calories and represents five food groups. Learn more at www.kidsfoodbasket.org.
