Coral Gables Hospital is leading a community effort to provide area children and adults struggling with hunger with a healthy breakfast during the summer through its Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive benefitting Feeding South Florida. The drive begins Friday, June 1, and runs through Friday, June 8.
“At Coral Gables Hospital we understand the health issues children face from hunger and poor nutrition,” said Cristina Jimenez, CEO of Coral Gables Hospital. “We recognize the importance of beginning each day with a nutritious breakfast and, through this drive, we hope to help the many in our community struggling with food insecurity.”
Almost 1 million children in Florida are at risk of hunger during the summer while school is not in session. In South Florida alone, there are more than 240,000 children who don’t know from where they will get their next meal. When school is not in session, access to these meals are diminished, leaving families having to find additional resources for food.
“We appreciate Coral Gables Hospital for hosting the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive and are grateful for its commitment to building a healthy community,” said Paco Vélez, president and CEO of Feeding South Florida. “Summer is a particularly difficult time for our food bank because many children in need can no longer rely on their school meals for a nutritious breakfast, so their families often turn to us for help. Thanks to Coral Gables Hospital and the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive, many families will have a healthy, whole-grain cereal breakfast every summer morning.”
In South Florida, more than 555,000 children rely on a nutritious breakfast and lunch through federal nutrition programs. Whole-grain cereal, when part of a healthy, balanced breakfast including dairy, fruit and lean protein, is a popular food item that experts say can easily address the hunger gap during the summer months when children are not in school. .
Donations of healthy cereal to the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive will be collected June 1-8 at Coral Gables Hospital. All financial donations made during our campaign will be matched by Coral Gables Hospital’s parent company, Tenet Healthcare, up to $100,000.
To learn more about Coral Gables Hospital, visit www.coralgableshospital.com. For information about Feeding South Florida, visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org or call 954-518-1818.
