Jewel-Osco, Hunger Is Supports a Hunger-Free Summer in the Region

For thousands of children and teens across Lake and Porter county, summer break is more than just a break from school—it’s a break from the guaranteed nutrition provided by free or reduced-priced meals provided during the school day. Thanks to dedicated community partners and donors, the Food Bank is working to ensure hungry kids and teens have the nutrition they need during the summertime.

To support these efforts, Food Bank was recently awarded a $4,585 Hunger Is grant from the Albertsons Foundation, doing business locally as Jewel-Osco. These funds will provide summer breakfast to kids 18 and under visiting Food Bank Summer Food Service sites in East Chicago, as well as across Northwest Indiana at special Summer Breakfast Mobile Markets.

Hunger Is raises awareness, engages volunteers, and raises funds to support innovative and effective programs throughout the country focused on ensuring every child in America has access to a healthy breakfast. Jewel-Osco stores in Dyer, Munster, Crown Point, and Chesterton supported the Food Bank’s recent Hunger Is award

“Hunger has a devastating impact on children,” said Steve Beekman, executive director of the Food Bank. “Having enough to eat should be the last thing a child worries about during the summertime. The Food Bank is grateful to Jewel-Osco for recognizing the importance of providing summer breakfast to kids in our community and supporting these critical efforts.”

The Food Bank is one of many community organizations providing summer feeding sites to young people in need this summer. According to Feeding America’s most recent Map the Meal Gap report, one in six children in Lake and Porter counties are considered food insecure, meaning they don’t always know where their next meal will come from.

“In addition to the Summer Food Service Program feeding youth East Chicago this summer, the Food Bank works year-round to provide nutritious meals to children facing hunger in our community,” said Beekman. “Mobile Market recognizes that when a child is hungry, their family is hungry. Every week throughout the year, Mobile Market visits a different community in need and provides about a weeks’ worth of meals to as many as 500 families at a time.”