Hunger Action Month: Kids Eat Feeds Hungry Utah Kids

Hunger exists in every corner of the world, and it’s closer than you might think. According to the Utah Food Bank, one in nine Utah children experience hunger every day—that means almost 14,000 students in Salt Lake City schools are unsure of where their next meal will come from.

September is Hunger Action Month. Created in 2008 by Feeding America, this month is dedicated to encouraging everyone to join the fight to end hunger. This year the USANA Foundation is jumping in to raise awareness about hunger right here in Utah and show how you can get involved.

With a passion to solve malnutrition, since 2012 the USANA Foundation has focused on nourishing those in need around the world and equipping them with long-term, sustainable solutions. The Kids Eat program joined the Foundation in 2019—because food insecurity is, unfortunately, happening right in our own backyard as well as globally. Since then, Kids Eat has supported countless hungry kids in Utah by partnering with 84 local schools and organizations along the Wasatch Front.

During the school year, many children depend on school meals for breakfast and lunch. But when the school day ends or weekend comes, there’s no guarantee of food to eat at home. Kids Eat weekend food bags give each child non-perishable and easily prepared foods to guarantee a weekend of food security.

Every week, volunteers come together during school months to pack 800 backpacks and distribute them to school districts across Utah—Murray, Canyons, Jordan, Granite, and Salt Lake City. These bags are discreetly given to students in need every weekend.

To support the 2023–24 school year, Kids Eat has received generous donations from First Utah Bank, the Dave & Renee Wentz family, the Spencer & Amanda Millerberg family, HealthEquity, and many other major donors. Thanks to such generosity and our dedicated volunteers, Kids Eat will provide 5,600 meals every weekend this school year.

Even with these incredible numbers, so many more children need help. Volunteering your time or becoming a monthly donor for children in need helps this program get even more meals in the hands of hungry kids.

With so many ways to get involved, you’ll find a way to volunteer that works for you. Kids Eat is most in need of monthly donors, but there are many opportunities to volunteer! Our most popular volunteer choice takes only an hour out of your day, but leaves a lasting impact. If you make a reservation online, you can visit the USANA Foundation’s building in West Valley City and join the pack assembly line to fill weekend bags. If you’re signed up to volunteer, you can show up and everything will be ready for you!

Sign up as a group, or come as an individual, to join these hour-long packs—there’s no wrong way to help. Visit the volunteer portal to sign up September through April. Make sure you pick your dates early, as volunteers are typically booked several months out.

For groups larger than 40, we can bring the assembly to you. You’ll be provided a list of foods to be gathered through donations that will fill a minimum of 200 bags. On the day of the packing event we’ll join your group, bring the bags, and walk you through the end-to-end process until we celebrate loading your finished bags into our truck.

The Foundation also accepts a wide range of donations—and every bit helps. Donate between $10–$250, or simply write in your own amount. Make a one-time donation, or choose a monthly amount of your choice. Because 100% of the Foundation’s administration costs are covered by USANA, every dollar you give to Kids Eat goes to feed hungry kids.

Take some time this Hunger Action Month to learn something new and commit to helping make a difference—because no child should ever go hungry.