The closure of schools means millions of students have no reliable access to meals, and during the crisis, things are even more uncertain for lower-income families.
But people like Ariq Barrett, founder of Kidz Meals on Wheels, an initiative fighting child hunger in Philadelphia, are joining hands with communities to provide help.
“Community volunteers have come together as a collective, bringing bread, juice and everything we need to issue up these meals to kids in our city,” Barrett said.
Barrett says the initiative belongs to the community because a mission this big can’t be done by one man alone.
According to statistics from the Center for Disease Control, childhood obesity and malnutrition have more than tripled over the last three decades, and urban communities are especially affected.
Barrett says now, during the pandemic, the battle is even greater but with less resources.
“We are solely reliant on our volunteers. Right now, our only fundraising during the COVID crisis is asking for donations,” Barrett added.
Since the initiative started in march, Kidz Meals on Wheels has served more than 8,000 lunches to families and children in and around the Philadelphia area.
To make donations on their website, click here, or you can donate via Cash App to Recipe4restoration.
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