Childhood is meant to be full of laughter, play and carefree moments — chasing friends on the playground or sharing giggles in the classroom. But for many young children, it’s hard to enjoy those moments when they’re experiencing hunger.
One in 8 children in Holmes County may be food insecure. Organizations like Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action Commission (KHCA) help ensure children have nourishing meals every day.
KHCA is a community action agency serving four Ohio counties dedicated to improving the lives of children through a range of essential services. One of those services is their Head Start preschool program, which provides breakfast, lunch and snacks four days per week to more than 75 children, age 3-5, from families living below 130% of the federal poverty level.
Many of these children’s parents are working hard — often juggling multiple jobs or earning low wages — making it difficult to consistently provide healthy meals at home.
Head Start helps fill that gap with balanced, nourishing meals that support children’s growth, development and learning. The program follows USDA dietary guidelines and ensures kids receive the nutrition they need to thrive.
As federal funding for Head Start faces uncertainty, programs like KHCA’s are more important than ever. Community support helps ensure children can access meals and learning opportunities.
But the impact goes beyond just feeding children. Through their partnership with the Foodbank, KHCA can offer fresh fruits children love but might be too expensive for their families to purchase regularly. They can introduce new, healthy meals that help establish better eating habits from an early age.
“Because of our partnership with the Foodbank, we can try new and different things,” said Laurel, child & family development administrator at KHCA. “We try to think up creative ways to introduce foods and get them to eat new foods, or foods that they refuse to try simply because it's green,” she laughs.
Proper nutrition is essential for a child’s learning, growth and overall success. By providing consistent, nourishing meals, KHCA helps ensure that children can focus on being kids — not on being hungry.