The e The end of the school year often marks the end of a guaranteed meal for almost half of Detroit’s children. In Southeast Michigan, more than 300,000 free or reduced fee, breakfasts and lunches are served daily during the school year. The DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan Professional Nurse Council is leading a community effort to provide area children with a consistent daily meal over summer recess. Their Fourth Annual Cereal Drive kicks off on May 31 – June 7, 2013.
“As one of the best Children’s hospitals in the country, we do not just treat sick or injured children, we are also in the business of keeping them healthy,” said Herman B. Gray, M.D., president of DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan. “Our nurses and staff really embrace this drive that highlights the important connection between nutrition and healthy kids.”
Studies show one in every four American children lives in a food insecure household where breakfast is not guaranteed. For some Detroit area children that number is one in two, making the hunger gap more serious in Southeast Michigan.
The Cereal Drive began in June 2010 and has grown every year. Last year, Gleaners Community Food Bank needed four semi-trucks to transport the donations collected during the drive to their distribution center.
“The Metro-Detroit communities really come together and use this opportunity to directly make a contribution and a difference in their neighborhoods. This effort really transcends city boundaries and is one problem with serious health consequences that we can make a huge dent in as a community,” said Wendi Tague, DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan Professional Nurse Council Chair.
Donations of cereal will be collected at the following locations May 31 – June 7, 2013 starting at 8 a.m. Closing times vary by location. Click here for a list of cereal drop off locations: www.childrensdmc.org/cerealdrive.
Driving directions and phone numbers for the drop off locations can be found at www.childrensdmc.org/locations.
DeWayne Wells, president of Gleaners said, “The DMC Children’s Hospital Cereal Drive has become an important source of nutritious breakfast food for children and families served by the food bank. Cereal is always in high demand, and that demand increases when school lets out and school breakfast and lunch programs end. The cereal provided by this drive will help us alleviate the strain parents feel when they try to make up for those meals for their kids.”
The Cereal Drive is part of a national effort, started by the DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan, to end childhood hunger. Ten other large children’s hospitals across the United States are hosting drives in their cities during the same timeframe. Cereal is a popular food item that experts say can easily address the hunger gap.
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Cereal Drive committee members include: Stephanie Melnick of Pleasant Ridge, Suzette Hohendorfer of Birmingham, Pam Taurence, RN of Trenton, Tiffani Langford of Southfield, Beth Stockford, RN of Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada, Wendi Tague, RN of Westland, Patty Reaume of Bell River, Ontario, Canada, Jennie Basirico, RN of Macomb, Megan Pierrel, RN of Allen Park, Katherine Foran of Pleasant Ridge, MI and Vickie Dahlman-Anger of Milford.
About Detroit Medical Center www.dmc.org
The Detroit Medical Center includes DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan, DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, DMC Harper University Hospital, DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, DMC Hutzel Women’s Hospital, DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital, DMC Surgery Hospital, and DMC Cardiovascular Institute. The Detroit Medical Center is a leading regional healthcare system with a mission of excellence in clinical care, research and medical education.
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