Filling Plates and Fueling Potential All Summer Long with Summer Eats for Kids
When the school year ends, so do the meal programs that many families rely on to keep their children nourished. For children living in poverty, summer often means empty plates and missed opportunities to stay healthy and engaged. Through United Way’s Summer Programs, we’ve worked to bridge that gap by providing nutritious food and resources to ensure children thrive — not just survive — during the summer months.
In Windsor-Essex, food bank usage has increased by 10.9% from 2023 to 2024, with a total of 234,256 visits last year. Children now make up 30.3% of those served, up from 28.7% in 2022. Food insecurity disproportionately impacts families with young children, which is why Summer Eats for Kids was created—to ensure no child in our community goes hungry over the summer.
Summer Eats for Kids
The Summer Eats for Kids program provides children and families in Windsor-Essex County with a week’s worth of nutritious snacks, fresh fruits, and vegetables. The program is provided at six school locations across the community, where families can come to receive a food bag. In addition to this weekly support, the program provides 550 lunches per day during the first three weeks of July to students participating in the Greater Essex County District School Board’s ‘Camp Wonder’ program.
Summer Eats for Kids Goal:
To provide 4,000 bags of food and 8,250 lunches to children and families in our community.
Gallery of Summer Programs Champions
To navigate through this carousel, you can use left and right arrow keys or the next and previous buttons.
Thank you to all the volunteers, donors, and supporters who contribute to making United Way’s Summer Programs possible. Thanks to your generosity, we can provide families with a week’s worth of nutritious fruits, vegetables, and snacks during July and August.
Get Involved
How to get involved in Summer Programs
- Make a Corporate Donation
- Host a Digital Fundraiser
- Host a Workplace Fundraiser
- Make an Individual or Family One-Time Pledge
Contact to learn more:
519-259-6194 I info@weareunited.com
Benefits
- On-site signage during Day of Caring
- Digital promotion/recognition of your contribution – includes photo op
- Provide food and backpacks to local children and youth in Windsor-Essex County
- Opportunity to help distribute food or backpacks at a Day of Caring volunteer engagement during Summer Eats for Kids or Backpacks for Success
Be a Sponsor for the Day
$3,000 provides 100 families in Windsor and Essex County with a week’s worth of snacks, fresh fruits, and vegetables during the summer months.
Donate new or gently used books
Thanks to Women United, free books are provided to kids to encourage reading over the summer. They will be distributed to children ages 1-17 at Summer Eats for Kids program sites.
Contact us to arrange to drop off books to the United Way office: 519-258-0000
info@weareunited.com
Your Impact & News
2024 Summer Programs Report
Read about the community impact, our program sponsors and volunteers.
This summer, many local children face the stark reality of hunger and lost learning opportunities. The need for nutritious food and educational resources is increasing in Windsor-Essex. Read on to see how you can make a life-changing difference to a child and their future.
United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County launches their annual summer programs fundraising campaign this month. United Way’s Summer Programs include two innovative strategies that support children throughout the summer months and help prepare them for their upcoming school year.
November 25, 2022
Summer Programs Report
This past summer, we delivered the Summer Eats for Kids and Backpacks for Success programs in three priority neighbourhoods of West Windsor, Downtown Windsor and Leamington. We are pleased to be able to share the 2022 Summer Programs Impact Report with you.
August 15, 2022
United Way’s Summer Eats for Kids and Backpacks for Success Continue in August across Windsor-Essex County
As planned, United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County will continue their summer programs for the next two weeks, until the end of August.
RELEASE: United Way launches their annual summer programs fundraising campaign this month – Summer Eats for Kids & Backpacks for Success.
August 27, 2021
Hero for a Day Summer Eats for Kids champions
RELEASE: United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County wrapped up its Summer Eats for Kids program this week and hosted its Backpacks for Success distribution day on August 24 and 26.