A Montgomery County-based philanthropic organization will team this weekend with Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority Incorporated’s Xi Sigma Omega chapter for a food drive to help combat childhood hunger.
Women Who Care Ministries, a community-outreach vehicle operating out of Montgomery Village, will partner Sunday with AKA for the second straight year as part of the local “Helping Kids Eat Backpack Weekend Meal Program,” which focuses on feeding needy children on days when they do not have access to free school meals.
The food drive will take place at Shoppers Food Warehouse on Mateny Road in Germantown from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., with organizers aiming to collect at least 1,000 lbs. of food.
“In Montgomery County alone, one in five children will go hungry during some point of the year,” said Judith Clark, founder of Women Who Care Ministries. “Childhood hunger affects not only malnutrition, but cognitive abilities of the brain for children and their growth. That is why it is critical to help.”
In 2016, an estimated 6.5 million U.S. children, many of whom come from minority-based communities, lived in food-insecure households, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Our organization is 16 years old and we have been serving meals in Montgomery County to low-income students for over 10 years,” Clark said. “This is the second year that Alpha Kappa Alpha has partnered with us and we are so thankful. It really does take a village to raise a child, and hopefully events like these can raise more awareness across the border.”
The food drive will be held ahead of National Childhood Hunger Day on Oct. 16, coinciding with AKA’s “Impact Day – Childhood Hunger.”
Felisha Tankard, chairman of the Xi Sigma Omega chapter’s Family Strengthening Committee, said supportive opportunities such as these are a must.
“Last year, our organization collected over 1,200 pounds of food and $1,000 in monetary funds,” Tankard said. “Our organization has been around for a century and we are founded on community service, so it is always important that we connect with people with the same mission. These kids are the future and we hope that our cause goes beyond one day, because childhood hunger affects millions of youth worldwide.”