HOUSTON – KPRC 2 and Houston Life are partnering with Energy Transfer this month to highlight the local organization Kids Meals and their mission to make sure young kids in our communities have something to eat. It is basic but so important. Kids Meals delivers free healthy meals to children five and under, and they want your help to make Houston the first city to end childhood hunger.
Beth Braniff Harp, is the CEO of Kids Meals, Derrick has known Braniff Harp for a while now and said he is a huge fan of the work Kids Meals does. “Something that a lot of our viewers may not realize is Harris County actually has explosive numbers of hunger among young people. And these young people are more difficult to reach because they’re not in school,” Shore said while interviewing Beth Braniff Harp on Houston Life.
Kids Meals focuses on getting meals to children five and under as it is a crucial period for brain development and an important time to be getting necessary nutrients, “...our brains will be fully developed 90% before the age of five,” explained Braniff Harp. It is about meeting , “...developmental milestones. So they can learn and grow like other kids.” Kids Meals is now serving 6100 preschool aged children every day, with a mini fleet of about 17 Vans.
Braniff Harp said that Harris County is number one in the nation for food insecurity. “The problem is not that there’s not enough food, the problem is access to that food,” she said.
Which is why Kids Meals is working to get food directly to Houston Kids delivering meals, “...to their homes, apartments, and trailers every weekday, Monday through Friday and making sure they have a healthy meal and produce,” said Braniff Harp.
A big part of the puzzle is getting enough volunteers to help deliver all their meals around Houston’s neighborhoods and this is where you can step in! If you would like to volunteer and Kids Meals either jump online to KidsMealsINC.org or you can call them on 713-695-5437.