GIVE 2021: Pantry to Pre School with The Father Fred Foundation

It’s 5 p.m. on a weekday afternoon, and a mom rounds up her preschooler from childcare. In addition to juggling the day’s still-sticky art project, a bag of dirty clothes and an empty lunchbox, she pauses by the door. There, a row of neatly packed bags and boxes await every family, with recipes tucked inside along with all the ingredients necessary to make them. With a sigh of relief, she picks up a box and wrangles everything into her car, knowing tonight’s dinner is taken care of, as well as several more meals and plenty of staples like milk, meat, bread, fruit and veggies to spare.

This heartwarming and helpful program, a.k.a. Pantry to Preschool, is the latest outreach effort by The Father Fred Foundation, which has long been known for its food pantry and efforts to ease food insecurity in the five-county area.

“We are one of the largest food pantries in Northern Michigan and we are fortunate to be able to offer items like milk, dairy, fresh meats and fresh produce,” explains Candice Hamel, executive director of The Father Fred Foundation. “And while we are open to serving absolutely anyone in need within the five-county region, we realized for many families there are barriers to accessing our pantry—work hours, juggling little children or simply having adequate transportation.”

So, when a preschool program approached them looking for ways to support their food-insecure families, The Foundation devised a way to help make their services more family-friendly and accessible for farther-flung neighbors, and Pantry to Preschool was born.

Father Fred volunteers package and pack items to correspond with simple, healthy recipes created by the Michigan State University Extension to help promote good nutrition during developmentally critical years for young children. Bags and boxes also get additional items tucked in for good measure, such as extra fruit or protein.

What started as a pilot program serving 30 Head Start families at one center has blossomed to include six childcare/ preschool centers and 117 families, with more in the works. The ability to reach food insecure families through childcare locations is proving to remove some of the barriers to eating well that so many families face as they try to make ends meet.

The program relies on volunteers to help pack boxes and drive deliveries to local schools and centers, as well as financial donations to help with the purchase of fresh, nutritious foods. To donate your packing prowess or make a financial gift, visit The Father Fred website.

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