GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Kids’ Food Basket is about $300,000 shy of meeting its $7.5 million fundraising goal for its Feeding Our Future campaign, an effort that includes building a new headquarters and offering new programs and services.
Bridget Clark Whitney, the nonprofit’s CEO, said her organization expects to open its new headquarters at 1919 Leonard St. NE in September. Built on 14 acres of farmland, the building will hep Kids’ Food Basket expand its services and create a 10-acre organic farm.
“Ultimately, for Kids’ Food Basket, this about nourishing our community and nourishing our children,” she said. “We know that when kids are well nourished they have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
On Friday, the Consumers Energy Foundation announced it had donated $50,000 to the project.
“Consumers Energy wants every child in Michigan to have the opportunity to get a great education and start to life,” Brandon Hofmeister, the foundation’s president, said in a statement. “Having consistent access to nutritious, locally grown food is incredibly important to the health and education of all our children.”
In addition to Consumers, other businesses and foundation, ranging from Meijer, Amway, the Wege Foundation and CDV5 Foundation, have donated to the effort.
Kids’ Food Basket is known for its Sack Supper Program, in which school children are given a free, nutritious meal at the end of the school day. The program serves 8,000 children at 49 schools in Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Holland.
Whitney said the new location will provide her nonprofit with more space to pack meals, offer food service and provide educational activities about the value of nutrition.
