Goldsboro has program to feed hungry children
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on February 1, 2015 1:50 AM
esmith@newsargus.com
Children in Goldsboro won't be going hungry this spring.
Not if the City of Goldsboro Child Nutrition Outreach and Education program has anything to say about it.
Beginning this week, the city will began advertising a request for proposals to attract non-profit organizations to feed the estimated more than 8,000 hungry children in Wayne County from March 14 to June 10.
Dillard Middle School and Wayne Academy will be feeding sites during the duration of the program, and will feed up to 300 children from 3 to 5 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.
"Our target is children within the city limits, but we won't be turning any child away," Community Development administrator Shycole Simpson-Carter said. "Everyone is welcome."
Providing the food will fall on the shoulders of whichever non-profit organization is chosen by the city, and meals, ideally, will be highly nutritious and pre-packaged so children can eat on-site or take the meal home, Mrs. Simpson-Carter said.
Dillard Middle and Wayne Academy were selected as feeding sites because they are located in the heart of the city, making them ideal for easy access.
"We spoke with the principals and they were very happy to let us use their sites for this program," Mrs. Simpson-Carter said.
For now, transportation will not be provided, although that is an option to be considered in the future.
"The city is hoping that local churches and organizations will aid the city's Child Nutrition Outreach and Education program with transportation," Mrs. Simpson-Carter said. "We are hopeful that local churches, organizations, citizens, and businesses will partner with the city to benefit the children in our city."
The initiative for the program began after Mrs. Simpson-Carter presented statistics on hunger in Wayne County to Goldsboro City Council in October 2014.
A hunger task force was developed, consisting of several department heads and city council members, to formulate the best method of fighting the hunger issue in Goldsboro.
There is a chance the program could continue to be funded by the Community Development Block Grant past June if funding is made available and the program is supported by city council members.
"There's a strong candidate we are looking at for the program who has volunteered to do it as a year-round program," Mrs. Simpson-Carter said.
She said the city is looking to conduct the feeding program every evening, weekend and holiday season during 2016 if funding is approved.
A candidate will be selected for the program on Feb. 13, and firm plans for the spring program will be developed afterwards.
Mrs. Simpson-Carter also said the city is looking to bring in churches and other local non-profit organizations to aid whichever organization is selected by the city.
A kickoff party will be held either on March 14 or 21 to alert the public about the program.
"I'm happy we're going ahead and starting and not waiting until next year to do something about this," Mrs. Simpson-Carter said. "I hope nobody is ashamed to come, because it isn't a shameful thing. We're just here to help them. I consider Goldsboro to be one big family, and that's what you do for family -- you take care of them."