HUNGER IMPACT

1 in 3 children on Cape Cod are facing hunger and many of these children are school aged. Most times these children participate in the free breakfast and lunch programs offered at their local schools. Weekends can be very difficult as they may eat very little until they return to school on Monday. Cape Kid Meals was created to close that gap and provide food for the weekend. For $200 a year Cape Kid Meals can feed a child on the weekends for the entire school year.

The effects of hunger on young children are significant and can be seen daily in classrooms. The lack of food impacts both physical health and academic development. Research shows that children who lack food and nutrition are more likely to have chronic health issues, behavioral problems, anxiety, and poor self-esteem. Additionally, lack of food in children contributes to negative effects on academic performance including being tardy or absent from school and even repeating a grade.