Child Programs
In FY 2015, NTFB began a partnership
with Brighter Bites, a Texas-based
nonprofit, to deliver fresh fruits and
vegetables, along with nutrition education
and recipes, directly to kids in need. With
the help of committed parent-volunteers
and community members, NTFB provided
students at selected schools with 30
pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables
each week during 24 weeks in the school
year.
In addition, Brighter Bites participants
took part in nutrition lessons, received
nutrition-education handbooks for
parents, and tasted sample recipes using
the foods they received. Families shared
that the program helped stretch their weekly grocery budget and encouraged them to prepare produce in new ways.
In addition to Brighter Bites, the Food Bank’s other Child Programs made further progress:
Through our School Pantry program, NTFB partnered with five schools to distribute more than 490,000 meals to
students and their families.
Additionally, the Food 4 Kids program distributed backpacks full of nutritious and kid-friendly food to more than
12,000 children every Friday during the school year. Through a partnership with the Mayor of Plano and community
supporters, Food 4 Kids expanded to serve some 1,400 children in need in that community.
NTFB’s Kids Cafe program provided prepared meals to thousands of children through after-school and summer
programs. In fact, NTFB was named a Gold Sponsor of the Summer Food Service Program by the Texas Hunger
Institute for our work to distribute prepared meals during the summer break, when children are out of school and
families often find themselves most in need of nutrition assistance.