January Simple Service Project with Champions for Kids

Every couple of weeks I do a “big” grocery shop. I go through the store circulars, cut coupons, and make a plan for the food that I’m going to purchase for my family to eat. Once at the market, I walk up and down the aisles, not only looking for deals, but reading labels, trying to find the most nutritious, affordable options of food. It’s time consuming, and really not much fun, but each week that I do my big shop, I realize how blessed I am to be able to provide healthy meals for my daughter.

Many children in our country aren’t so blessed. Many children in my own daughter’s daycare aren’t so blessed. According to a report released last year by the Food Research and Action Center, Philadelphia’s First Congressional District, which included the neighborhood where Ayva’s daycare is located, ranks fourth highest for food hardship in the nation. It’s heartbreaking, and I’m going to do something about it.

This month, I’m creating an Abbott Nutrition Snack Pack as a Simple Service Project hosted by Champions for Kids. My family and I are going to create a huge, healthy snack basket for the children at Ayva’s daycare center. The teachers often use their own money to buy food for the kids to supplement the government provided lunch and snacks that they receive. Many times, the provided meal isn’t appetizing, or the snack is not nutritious at all. A snack basket would provide some relief for the teacher’s budget, and also ensure that the children are at least getting some whole grains and fruit in their diets.

If you’d like to get involved in this month’s Champions for Kids Simple Service Project by creating an Abbott Nutrition Snack Pack, check out the site for more information, and to get some ideas on what sort of things you can do to help combat childhood hunger. You can also join the twitter party on January 19th at 9 PM EST. Just follow the hashtag #AbbottCFK.