Louisiana Food Bank Serves Up More Than Meals

Information by State  Print version   Deidre Osborn, Kid's Cafe Program Director, with teen volunteers

The Northwest Louisiana Food Bank, a member of HOPE for the Homeless, the area continuum of care coalition, partners with a broad range of community service and faith-based organizations to serve the hungry. Replicating a national model of America's Second Harvest, the Food Bank has partnered with local faith-based organizations this summer to initiate a Kid's Cafe program. Kid's Cafe provides nutritionally balanced meals and academic encouragement to low-income children in a safe environment. In addition to nutritious meals, the program provides classes on nutrition, hygiene, healthy lifestyle habits, character development, culinary arts, life skills and gardening.

Dedicated to breaking the cycle of hunger and poverty, the goal of the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank's Kid's Cafe program is to ensure proper growth and development in children to help them prosper throughout their lives.

This summer, there are three Kid's Cafe sites hosted by local faith-based organizations: Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy, Lake Bethlehem Baptist Church, and the Salvation Army's Bossier City Boys and Girls Club. All three have extensive educational enrichment programs in place. Through these faith-based partners, the Kid's Cafe currently serves more than 400 children five days a week in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.

In addition, St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral Vacation Bible School children made a project of the Kid's Cafe initiative this summer, collecting over 361 pounds of food, and becoming the first local church to sponsor an ingathering to contribute food to the project.

When school starts, Kid's Cafes will also open at J.S. Clark Middle School, Central Elementary, Ingersoll Elementary and Booker T. Washington High School. Sites with Homeless Children's Program services offered through Caddo Parish Schools and the continuum of care HUD SHP Homeless Education Enhancement Program, these schools are also planning extensive and innovative after-school programs. Kid's Cafe will go into these schools and enhance their programs by serving an evening meal, along with special classes and other extras. While the local initiative is less than a year old, the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank hopes to open other Kid's Cafes, with the help of community and faith-based partners.

"The Garden Crew" from the Kid's Cafe