Youth and Family Programs
Youth and Family programs at the St. Louis Area Foodbank work to address childhood hunger across the region. When a child faces food insecurity, their entire household most likely is as well. By providing support items for entire meals we seek to uplift the entire household, setting the child up for success. Our approach is to provide an access point for families in a setting they are already familiar, meeting families where they are.
Increased food security for children can mean:
↑ Increased academic success
↑ Increase in student attendance
↑ Improved health outcomes
↓ Decrease in stress, depression, and anxiety
↓ Decreased visits to school nurse
↓ Lower rates of suspension and parent participation discipline incidents
School Markets
Together with our amazing partners, the School Market program offers families an option for accessing the food they need by creating food pantries in local schools in their community. Set up like a grocery store, students and their families can select a wide range of nutritious food for their entire household each week. Sites are located in school buildings and have set distribution schedules to offer ongoing food assistance and nutrition education services.
School Pantries
School Pantries are regularly scheduled food distribution sites located within a school building. They provide easily accessible, consistent food assistance and nutrition education to students and their families. Each school pantry is unique to best serve the needs of their community.
The program primarily serves schools where 33% or more of students are enrolled in the Free and Reduced Lunch program. All students and families attending the school are eligible to receive food from the pantry.
Higher Education:
Food insecurity impacts many students pursuing higher education. It has the potential to harm students’ ability to achieve their educational and professional goals. The St. Louis Area Foodbank is working in partnership with colleges and universities to help address issues of food insecurity on campus. Any college or university in the St. Louis Area Foodbank service area is eligible for partnership with the Foodbank.
College Hunger Coalition:
All higher education institutions in the St. Louis Area Foodbank service area are invited to participate in the College Hunger Coalition, regardless of formal partnership status. The coalition meets throughout the year to share resources and ideas on how to prevent food insecurity and support students. For more information, please contact the Youth and Family Programs Coordinator.
Interested in partnership?
Please fill out this form.
School Markets funded in part by:
