ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Many children who rely on free and reduced price lunches during the school year go home to meager or no meals on weekends. The Shifa Clinic Child Hunger Prevention program works to fill that gap. We started the program with five children per month in 2014, and we now currently serve 100 children a month. We will be expanding the program to include more children depending on the funding and resources available.
HOW IT WORKS
On Fridays, children of Eagle Nest Elementary School receive a food sack containing six balanced meals and two healthy snacks at the end of every week. The children are selected by school principals, guidance counselors, and various after school programs. The food is given discretely to kids with their parents permission. The school has a consent form which is signed by parents and kept on record with school. The children come down to the school counselor area every Friday between 1:30 and 2:00 to get their bag. The teachers are all aware of this process and send them down.
We partner with schools and organizations that serve low income families to provide outreach clinical care and vaccinations to your families and children. We want to keep your child healthy and limit their number of absentee days from school.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There are plenty of ways you can help! You can donate financially, donate food items, and/or share our campaign with others.
Acceptable Donations:
- Cereal
- Apple sauce
- Mac and cheese
- Breakfast bars
- Chips
- Beef ravioli
- Fruit cups
- Pudding
- Spaghetti-Os
- Oatmeal
- Granola bars
- Ramen noodles
- Yogurt cereal bars
- Fruit snacks
- Cup-O-Noodles
- Crackers
- Mashed potatoes (dry packet)
- Juice boxes
- Starkist Tuna
- Raisins
- Vienna Sausage
- Yogurt
- Corn Cups
- Jiff Peanut Butter To Go
Items Not Accepted
- Glass jars
- Juice pouches
- Candy
- Expired items
Small Food Donations | Accepted Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM: If your donations fit in a few bags or boxes that can be carried from your vehicle in one or two trips, you can bring them to our office lobby. We accept perishable and non-perishable items that are unopened.
Large Food Donations | Accepted Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM: If you have a larger load of food donations, please give us prior notice so we can arrange for space and volunteers to unload.
Food Donation Guidelines:
Shifa Free Clinic is committed to the safety and health of those who receive food from us. All food donations are sorted to comply with federal, state, and local food safety regulations. You can help by following these guidelines when donating food:
- Canned and Dry Goods: Unopened and in original packaging with labels; packaging is in good condition (no dents, bulging, or rust); donated no more than 6 months past use-by date.
- Fresh Produce: Uncut with no signs of mold, spoilage, or severe bruising; we accept garden-fresh produce as well
- Dairy Products: Unopened; must have been kept at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or lower at all times (including transportation to Shifa Free clinic); donated on or before the sell-by date.
- Baked Goods: Must be prepared in a licensed kitchen; in their original packaging with proper labeling; donated no more than 2 days past the sell-by date.
- Meat Products: Unopened and frozen on or before the sell-by date; items must be less than 3 months old (and frozen the entire time).
- Deli Products: Unopened and in the original packaging with labels and complete list of ingredients; donated before the sell-by date.
- Prepared & Catered Food: If you are a caterer or you have a large donation of prepared foods, please contact our Food Pantry Coordinator at (843) 352-4580.
- Non-Food Items: The following products are also great donations: household cleaning items, health/beauty aids, paper products, boxes, bags, totes, pallets, and equipment.
