As the school year gets underway we've heard a lot about how things "look different" this year. However, some things never change, like the need to make sure children are safe and have a place to go to at the end of each school day.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank has announced that their Kid’s Cafe program will continue yet another year of partnering with the "Child and Adult Food Program" and will take place at nine different Cedar Valley locations. The program is an after-school meal program that provides a meal or snack for children, as well as, a safe place for them to go after school.

In a press release, Executive Director of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Barb Prather said:

“It is our responsibility as adults to provide our children with as much certainty as we can in these uncertain times,” “The best way we know how to do that is through relationship, and partnering with our community‘s vast network of after-school activities, to leverage their programming as a delivery channel to provide meals and snacks to children who need it most.”

Over the years, after-school programs like Kid’s Cafe have proven extremely beneficial to students: over 40% of participants improve reading and math grades, and kids who are in after-school activities are less likely to be involved in criminal activity when they are older. Learn more at Northeast Iowa Food Bank.org and see the list and map below for locations around the Cedar Valley.

KIDS CAFE LOCATIONS:
Salvation Army - 89 Franklin St, Waterloo

Bakari - 515 Beech Street, Waterloo

Boys & Girls Club - 515 Lime St., Waterloo

Boys & Girls Club 3574 Lafayette St., Evansdale

Highland Elementary - 812 Idaho St, Waterloo

Sacred Heart - 620 W 5th St, Waterloo

Becker Elementary - 1239 Sheldon St, Waterloo

Cunningham Elementary - 1224 Mobile St, Waterloo

YWCA of Black Hawk County - 425 Lafayette St, Waterloo

In the 2019/2020 school year, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank’s Kid’s Café program served over 71,000 meals to kids participating in the various after-school programs.

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