U.S. Family Foundation has a strong commitment to our local charities, schools and community. As such when the time came to consider additional charities to receive donations at our yearly board meeting, we could not think of a more deserving charity that combines all three of those objectives into one harmonious project. Started in 2009, Citrus County Blessings has provided help feeding children of less fortunate families on the weekends, when they don’t have access to government subsidized meals. The Blessings program has recently expanded to all 18 mainstream public schools in Citrus County and is serving over 1,450 children.
“A staggering 67% of school aged children in Citrus County are enrolled in the federally funded free / reduced breakfast and lunch programs. Many of these children’s families/caretakers cannot provide adequate nutrition from lunch on Friday to breakfast on Monday morning. The federal program does not address this need. Within Blessings, eighty-five percent of the children served are ages 6 to 11. The other 15% percent of children served are ages 12 to 17.”
In order to support the endeavors of this program, U.S. Family Foundation donated $5,000 in August 2016. Our hope is that the Blessings program will use this money to continue their efforts to provide these children with the meals and nourishment they need for healthy development. With a $125 donation, you can feed a child for the entire school year. With the money donated by our foundation, we are happy to announce that roughly 40 children will receive meals for the entire school year. We were so happy to partner with Citrus County Blessings in their efforts to serve the most vulnerable in our community…our children.
Visit www.citruscountyblessings.org for more information on this amazing charity. You can reach out to Grace Hengesbach, Executive Director, directly via email (grace@citruscountyblessings.org) or phone (352-341-7707).