Variety Children's Charity of Detroit

Variety Feeds Kids provides qualifying children in the Pontiac Public School District who are at-risk of weekend hunger with balanced, nutritious food. Elementary students whose daily breakfasts and lunches are provided through school food programs routinely experience hunger on weekends. Each Friday afternoon and before long holiday weekends, Variety Feeds Kids provides children with a weekend bag containing food that is nutritious, non-perishable, easy to prepare and child-friendly. These ready-to-assemble meals provide the fuel for children to grow, learn, and develop healthy lifestyles.

This program services children attending four elementary schools in the Pontiac Public School District who have qualified for the free and/or reduced lunch program. With a current commitment to 1,600 students in four elementary schools, Variety aspires to expand the program to assist all qualified children within the Pontiac Public School District.

The success of Variety Feeds Kids lies in unique partnerships that have been formed with local law enforcement as well as corporate entities. Food is stored temporarily in donated space, and volunteers attend weekly packing sessions to pack recyclable bags.

Working cooperatively with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the bags are then delivered to the schools each Friday afternoon where both officers and volunteers distribute the bags to the children as they exit the lunchroom. This important partnership not only facilitates the storage and distribution of the food, but it also encourages positive interactions between youth and local law enforcement as it fosters consistent, kind and trusting relationships in the community.

With generous support from private donations as well as corporations and foundations such as Meijer and FCA, Variety purchases food at-cost for the children.

The cost of providing meals to one child for one academic year is $100.

For information on volunteer and corporate packing opportunities, please email Variety.

To support a hungry child today, please consider a donation online (please note #VFK) or call 248-258-5511.