Kids Feed Madison expands, collects donations

By Amanda Meyer

A food drive run by a group of Madison East High School students is collecting donations through July 31. Kids Feed Madison, a hunger-awareness organization founded by recent East High graduate Amanda Meyer, has collected over 36,000 meals for Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin since 2004.

 Amanda Meyer founded Kids Feed Madison
Children who normally rely on school breakfast and lunch programs must go without that important resource during the long summer months. Kids Feed Madison seeks to help local pantries respond to the increased seasonal demand, a problem that has been amplified this year by the extra assistance agencies like Second Harvest have supplied to flood victims.
This year, the program has expanded to include student volunteers from all over the north and east sides of Madison.
"It is incredible to meet young people who are so passionate about service," says Meyer. "This is the whole point of Kids Feed Madison: bringing kids and the community together to address an often-overlooked need. It is so meaningful for everyone involved." 
The drive uses Second Harvest barrels placed at area businesses to collect donations. Food collection barrels are located at DuWayne's Salon, Pierce's Northside Market, Lakeview Branch Library, Jenifer Street Market, and Pinney Branch Library.
Kids Feed Madison also collects monetary donations. Each dollar donated allows Second Harvest to provide up to seven meals for people in need. Checks may be made out to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin and mailed to:
Kids Feed Madison
2302 Calypso Road
Madison, WI 53704

Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference in the lives of people living with hunger. The program may be contacted at KidsFeedMadison@gmail.com or (608) 215-8590.