On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, Kohl’s announced a donation of $750,000 to the Hunger Task Force to increase access to nutritious meals for local families, children and seniors through the expansion of the Hunger Task Force MyPlate program. Through MyPlate – a healthy eating guide influenced by the USDA MyPlate food model – the nearly 50,000 Milwaukee area residents the Hunger Task Force serves monthly learn how to choose the right types and amounts of foods to consume daily to improve their health and well being.
“Kohl’s is proud to continue our partnership with the Hunger Task Force to provide even more healthy meals, food resources and information to enrich the overall health and well-being of families in the greater Milwaukee area,” said Jen Johnson, Kohl’s senior vice president of communications. “We applaud the work Hunger Task Force is doing to change the way our community approaches hunger relief by encouraging healthy food donations and ensuring all families have access to nutritious food options.”
Kohl’s grant will fund the conversion of nine Hunger Task Force network pantries in the greater Milwaukee area into new Hunger Task Force MyPlate pantries, increasing the total number of MyPlate pantries from 30 to 39. The donation will also help purchase, distribute and store the nearly 10 million pounds of food used to stock the nonprofit organization’s 70 local pantries and provide community nutrition education programming led by Hunger Task Force’s Community Network Dietitian.
“Our MyPlate program delivers healthy food with dignity and provides a community- wide safety net,” said Sherrie Tussler, Hunger Task Force executive director. “Kohl’s generous support helps ensure we can distribute more than 55,000 healthy meals free of charge to vulnerable families, children and seniors every month through our MyPlate initiative.”
From June through August, Hunger Task Force serves a record number of meals to children because they lose access to the breakfast and lunch served at school or daycare. To ensure children are fed three meals a day, Kohl’s funding will provide nearly 65,000 nutritious suppers this summer at easily accessible, kid-friendly public settings in the greater Milwaukee area including: recreational programs, youth camps and public parks.
Kohl’s donation is made possible through the company’s philanthropic program, Kohl’s Cares®, which sells children’s books and toys and donates 100 percent of the net profit to support happier and healthier communities nationwide.