SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — An estimated 5,000 children face food insecurity daily in Sheboygan County.
As part of efforts to combat this crisis, the Sheboygan County Food Bank is in the middle of a campaign for its Food for Thought program, which helps feed students over the weekends.
Longfellow Elementary 5th grader Constance Stevens is one of those children.
"A lot of kids — their parents are struggling with money. Kind of like my struggle because my parents are divorced," Constance said. "When [they] go shopping, the snacks are gone in three days."
Stevens leads a busy life: "School, exhausting, hungry all the time."
The Food for Thought program, established in 2018, aims to address the needs of students like Stevens who are experiencing food insecurity.
The program ensures these children receive packs filled with nutritious items.
Watch: Student lends voice to Sheboygan Food Bank's push to combat childhood hunger
"One of the advantages of going to school is you get to participate in school meal programs," said executive director Patrick Boyle. "What happens to these children on weekends?"
The food packs sent home with children consist of quick snacks, small microwave meals and fruit.
Constance particularly enjoys the fruit, stating, "The apple —eat that for breakfast because an apple a day keeps the doctor away."
She has to hide the rest from her brothers. "They keep trying to take my ravioli because ravioli is so good."
In 2024, the Food for Thought program fed more than 500 kids every weekend, with a fifth of those coming from Longfellow Elementary, one of the lowest-income schools in the area.
"The economy, uncertain economic times are going on for so many families. We're needed now more than ever," Boyle emphasized.
To continue and expand these vital services, the food bank aims to raise $100,000 by the end of June.
The Black Spring Foundation is a matching donor up to $100,000.
This goal will help get involved kids like Stevens focused on their education rather than an empty stomach.
Boyle noted that a single $6.25 donation feeds one child for one weekend.
"Our aim is to keep serving more kids, more schools, get more nutritious items to them, and expand the program."
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