The City of New Orleans has been selected as a recipient of the Mayors Alliance Action Fund to End Childhood Hunger, a grant facilitated by the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, supported by Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, and Dollar Tree. The grant amount of $25,000 will feed into local strategies to combat childhood hunger, an issue impacting nearly one-third of kids in Orleans Parish, as noted by the city's announcement.
Mayor Helena Moreno, a member of the Mayors Alliance, expressed her gratitude for the grant, stating, "I’m incredibly grateful that the Mayors Alliance selected the City of New Orleans for this inaugural grant, which will help to ensure our residents receive the vital food assistance and health care services they need." She went on to acknowledge the grant as a booster to the city's fight against childhood hunger, according to a statement obtained by nola.gov. This initiative recognizes the growing challenge of food insecurity, a plight affecting not just children's immediate health but their potential to excel and innovate for future generations, as mentioned on the city's website.
The Mayors' Alliance, encompassing the leadership of over 550 mayors, prioritizes local actions to address the issue of childhood hunger in cities nationwide. The Mayor's Action Fund, supported by Dollar Tree, is in its first year and aims to empower mayors like Moreno in their fight against this critical issue. "At Dollar Tree, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and that begins with reliable access to nutritious food," said Jennifer Silberman, Dollar Tree’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, in a statement that highlights the partnership's goals for more resilient communities.
Specific plans have been laid out by Mayor Moreno to maximize the impact of the grant, including a comprehensive outreach and marketing effort to improve the visibility and accessibility of support services such as SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid. These will be implemented at various service sites throughout the city, bolstered by the partnership between the New Orleans Health and Human Services (NOHHS) and VIA LINK. “At a time of mounting food costs and economic uncertainty for families, the Mayors Action Fund is a vital investment in local, community-driven solutions," said Aaron Goldstein, senior manager of Local Government Relations at Share Our Strength, recognizing the grant's timely significance in supporting families and children in need, as per the city's official website.
For more detailed information about the NOHHS's initiatives to eradicate food insecurity, residents and interested parties can visit the department's page at nola.gov/health.
