For the past six years, I Can for Kids has been fortunate to have the support of our donors, volunteers and agency partners who believe in our mission and invest in our ability to fill empty bellies over the summer break. We have been successful in the summer space feeding tens of thousands of kids every year.
Just as our plans were underway for another busy season, the COVID-19 response threw us a curveball by forcing the closure of schools early and disrupting the food supply. Undaunted, we faced the impact of the issue head on. We shifted quickly and effectively to meet the needs of more than 28,000 hungry children and youth across the city. And we could not have done this without your help and support.
Right about now, we could all use some good news. With all that has happened – is still happening – it has been heartwarming to see how our community has come together. So we are more than excited to share with you our 2020 Impact Report, a play-by-play of good news on how we pivoted with the support of that caring community to provide a meaningful response to kids affected by food insecurity over the past nine months.
Every decision we make is based on the expertise of those on the frontline and those who are directly impacted by the decisions we make – our recipients. We listen and we respond, collaborate and co-create, and together we are improving the lives of those we serve. We meet people where they are, not where we want them to be.
We have always challenged the status quo and this year was no different. We took some risks and they paid off because we had a human response to a human experience. Offering dignified access to food has always been our priority, this year we did it even better. The report looks different because this year was unlike any other in recent memory. As a result, we are a different organization.
As you enjoy the pages of our report (click to view or download a PDF version), you will see that we never stop learning. When we learn about a better way to help people, we have a responsibility to you and to every child we help feed to embrace new ideas, change and evolve.
As we look ahead to 2021, we will boldly move forward driven by the insights from research, our partners and most importantly, what we have learned from our recipients. Our kids and our community have suffered enough. It is time for change and with our 2020 experience guiding us, we will be part of something remarkable. As such important supporters of I Can for Kids, we thank you for all you have done to help us meet the needs of our community. And we can’t wait to work with you in 2021.
Wishing you health and happiness,
Bobbi Turko & Sutton Garner
Co-Founders, I Can for Kids Foundation
