Every weekday afternoon, the Building Brighter Futures (BBF) Center for the Arts buzzes with energy as students from nearby schools file through its doors for their after-school program. As soon as they arrive, they are welcomed with a nutritious meal provided by the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Nine-year-old Javion Wright, a fourth grader at Morton Elementary, looks forward to that meal every day. “I’m always hungry when I get here,” he said. “I like the food we get here because it’s good, especially the watermelon and the peanut butter and jelly.”
BBF has been serving the Lawndale community since 1961. The organization offers a wide variety of activities for students including basketball, yoga, crocheting, arts and crafts, journaling and more, all with the goal of enriching the lives of the students. In partnership with the Food Depository, BBF provides daily meals to students in their after-school program.
Crystal Cross with participants from the BBF after-school program. (Photos by Kristy Ramsey for the Greater Chicago Food Depository)
Crystal Cross, the director of children’s programs, understands how important good nutrition is for young people. “The nutrition part goes hand in hand with everything else we do to support our children and their families,” Cross said.
“In addition to the programs, the exposure, the activities and the love they receive here, they also get healthy food which nourishes the body and the whole person.”
Understanding the need
Food insecurity among children remains a serious issue in Cook County. Households with children are more likely to experience food insecurity than those without, and the disparities are even greater in Black and Latino households.
In the Chicago Metro area, almost one in four households with children experience food insecurity. 39 percent of Black households with children and 31 percent of Latino households with children in the Chicago metro area experienced food insecurity compared with 18 percent of white households with children.
Inside the BBF building, where children are welcomed with nutritious meals as part of their daily activities.
After school can be an especially vulnerable time for many children. Parents are often still at work, and some children may not have access to an evening meal until late in the day. BBF’s after-school program, supported by the Food Depository, helps fill this critical gap by providing healthy meals each weekday afternoon. For some students, it is the only substantial meal they receive after the school day ends.
With the rising cost of food and other necessities, many families are finding it even harder to provide enough food for their children – often with devastating impacts. Studies show that food insecurity can negatively affect children’s physical and mental health as well as their academic performance.
The students line up to receive their after-school meal.
The Food Depository is committed to ending hunger among children. Across Chicago and Cook County, we provide meals to thousands of children and their families through partnerships with 52 school-year youth programs like BBF. These programs ensure that kids who might otherwise go without have access to the nutritious food they need to thrive in school, at home and in their communities.
In addition to these programs, the Food Depository also supports children by providing food for their families year-round at pantries and, during the summer, by partnering with more than 150 summer feeding programs.
A community that cares
Eight-year-old Emmanuel Lavon enjoys the variety of food he receives at BBF. “I like the muffin, the pineapple and the celery,” he said. “And the chicken sandwich and the pizza. I like all the food we get here! It keeps me full all day until I go home for dinner.”
Emmanuel Lavon gets ready to enjoy a healthy and delicious meal.
Cross is grateful that the meals are both healthy and enjoyable for the students.
“The children love eating the fruits and vegetables,” she said. “Receiving this food daily shows them that healthy food is good.”
She also sees how impactful the meals are to the families BBF serves. “Our families try their best to provide for their children but sometimes they need a little extra help.”
“Food is very expensive,” said Shamika Simon, the mother of a child who attends BBF. “I have to budget, I utilize pantries, and I utilize the school and the summer programs.”
Two friends share a meal and conversation before heading into activities at the BBF after-school program.
“We are so grateful for the food we receive from the Food Depository,” Cross said. “It is truly a blessing to our community.”
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Food Depository is proud to partner with community organizations like BBF to help build a future where every child has access to the food they need to grow, learn and reach their full potential.
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