Raising Awareness, and Funds, to End Childhood Hunger

By Allison Weinhagen, Director of Member Services

City Market recently partnered with Hunger Free Vermont for a weeklong donation campaign held June 25 through July 1 to benefit their child nutrition programs. City Market customers had the opportunity to give a suggested donation of one dollar to Hunger Free Vermont and sign a paper “lunch tray” that read “I Fed a Child”. By the end of the week, Co-op customers had donated $2,854 to Hunger Free Vermont. The “lunch tray” cards were on display in the store throughout the week to show Co-op patrons’ support for ending childhood hunger in Vermont. In addition, Hunger Free Vermont staff tabled in the Co-op throughout the week to share their program information with shoppers.

Hunger Free Vermont is a statewide organization whose mission is to end the injustice of hunger and malnutrition for all Vermonters. Through advocacy and education, HFVT feeds children, adults, and seniors, and provides nutrition education by teaching communities to cook. The Lunch Tray Campaign at City Market kicked off a long-term giving campaign at Hunger Free Vermont where donors have the option to target their contribution to programs most important to them. Donors can give to “feed a child”, “feed a family”, “feed a neighbor”, or “teach a community to cook”.  All donations from the City Market Lunch Tray campaign will directly support Hunger Free Vermont’s child nutrition programs.

“We are excited about the success of our first donation and education campaign partnership with City Market and look forward to making this an annual event,” remarks Marissa Parisi, Executive Director at Hunger Free Vermont.

In the upcoming year, City Market will provide additional support to Hunger Free Vermont to sponsor their nutrition education classes, called The Learning Kitchen; sponsor the annual Hike for Hunger; assist with the annual 3SquaresVT Challenge; and assist with educational and outreach materials about 3SquaresVT for seniors.