More than 200 needy children were fed hot meals last night at the opening of ConAgra Foods Kids Café at the George Robert White Youth Development Center in Dorchester — a program created with the goal of feeding 150 children three nights each week.
“We have built more than 240 Kids Cafes across the country,” said Meghan Schmidt, spokeswoman for ConAgra Foods Feeding Children Better Foundation. “We are very dedicated to fighting the issue of child hunger.”
Shmidt said children compose one-third of the 320,000 people the Greater Boston Food Bank feeds annually.
Nearly 14 million children across the nation live in food-insecure households, where the household’s “access to enough food is limited by a lack of money and other resources,” according to the United States Department of Agriculture report Household Food Security in the United States.
Shmidt said striking a balance between presenting the children with information about nutrition at the new Café and holding their attention spans was a major challenge.
Speakers made an effort to keep their statements short and kid-friendly, asking their young and enthusiastic audience “yes” and “no” questions to keep them entertained and to encourage participation.
“How many of you have heard the mayor say he doesn’t like to see you standing at the bus stop eating potato chips?” asked Catherine D’Amato, CEO of the Greater Boston Food Bank, as hands shot up across the room.
“The treat to the mayor [from supporting this foundation] is that you have really healthy, nutritious meals,” said Jim Greene, director of Boston’s Emergency Shelter Commission and spokesman for Mayor Thomas Menino.
Greene explained the importance of nutrition by citing the Boston Celtics, saying the basketball players grew so tall because they ate healthy meals.
In addition to a free meal, the children went home with free backpacks adorned with ConAgra brand names such as Butterball, Chef Boyardee and Kid’s Cuisine.
“There is really something special about sitting around a table and sharing a meal,” said Jerry Steimel, vice president of operations for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston.
Jodi Gibson, of America’s Second Harvest — one of the largest hunger-relief organizations in the United States and another partner in the Kids Café program — also spoke about community cooperation.
“Thank you all for being our friends,” Gibson told the children. “And remember to share with other people, okay?”
“Got milk?” a volunteer joked as she handed out the children’s choice of white or chocolate milk. The healthy meal included roast beef, mashed potatoes and vegetables.
When asked what her favorite part of the dinner was, young attendee Nia Greenidge replied, “Everything!”