By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com
A statewide non-profit with strong local ties is asking for help in keeping children from going hungry. Howell’s Mitch Zajac is the President of the Association for Child Development, or ACD. ACD has worked for 45 years to establish healthy eating habits in children by offering the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in child care settings across Michigan and Illinois. Roughly 3,000 agencies participate, with ACD helping to feed 40,000 kids across both states. With COVID-19 impacting child care communities everywhere, ACD is asking for help in continuing their mission to support kids.
Zajac says that in Ingham and Livingston Counties, ACD helps feed 730 kids healthy meals while supporting 96 child care providers. Many of these providers, according to a release, are on the brink of collapse- facing reduced services or the closing of their businesses due to the pandemic. A recent study by the CACFP reports that across the nation, the number of providers and children served has dropped more than 50% across the program.
ACD Executive Director Denise Meyer said that for many children, the only healthy meal they get is the one they get from child care. She said they are committed to helping provide a healthier tomorrow for these kids, but they can’t do it alone.
Two ways have been set up to help. Should they choose, donors can visit www.acdkids.org to give directly to the organization. A GoFundMe campaign has also been set up on ACD’s Facebook page. Find it at www.facebook.com/acdkidsorg.