kids cafe

Kids Café – An after- school hot meal and nutrition education program for hungry and at risk of hunger children. The Food Bank for Westchester works with potential Kids Cafe sites to develop program services and funding.

A Kids Café is a trademarked program of America’s Second Harvest implemented by a local A2H food bank. There are over 1,200 Kids Café operating across the United States This program provides an after school nutritious hot meal for at risk of hunger/ hungry children. Included with the hot meal are enrichment activities such as homework assistance, sports, arts & crafts and “ kid friendly” nutrition education.

Each Kids Cafe program must serve a minimum of 20 children a day a minimum of three days a week, be located in a space that is easy for participating children to get to and safe.

A Kids Cafe survey conducted by Con Agra Feeding Children Better, in 2001 revealed that 2/3rds of participating children in the 20 Kids Cafes surveyed reported feeling better, happier, more energy and improved grades. Sixty four to seventy percent of the parents of participating children reported their children showed marked improvement in behavior, physical health, learning and safety.

The Yonkers YMCA Kids Café, the first Kids Café in Westchester, reports that the since starting the Kids Cafes there has been a marked improvement in the behavior of participating children. They have more energy to participate in physical activities, focus better on intellectual tasks such as computer lab and homework, are much nicer to each other, fight less and actually socialize, especially over their meal.

The following Kids Cafes are operating in Westchester: