Like those at the other Ross campuses, the staff, faculty, and students from Ross Medical Education Center in Roosevelt Park, Michigan are always looking for ways to serve their community. One of the ways that they have chosen to do so a number of times is with the organization Kids’ Food Basket. This incredible group provides a healthy and nutritious sack meal for kids to take home when they have no other options, working parents, and no one to make them a meal.
According to their website, Kids’ Food Basket strives to “nourish children living at or near the poverty level with critical evening meals to level the playing field for their academic achievement. Equipping children and families with greater access to fresh, locally grown food can help us build a more vibrant, healthier West Michigan.” The Ross campus in Roosevelt Park had the students along with staff collect the snacks which are found on the list of high need food items for the snack mix that goes into every sack lunch. The students even decorated bags on their break time with themes and inspirational sayings to brighten the children’s day!
In addition to giving their time and talents, the Roosevelt Park campus also invited Angel Mendiola, Director of Kids’ Food Basket, to come to come to the campus to talk about the needs of their community and the children for which they help provide these sack meals. Angel also discussed many opportunities to give back to the community that ranged from donating food and helping to prepare at the location to delivering the meals and even decorating the lunch sacks that go to the children. Their website highlights their success and growth: “Kids’ Food Basket has grown to serve approximately 1,100 children at four schools in Muskegon each weekday! The Kids’ Food Basket Muskegon Program is fully funded and supported by the Muskegon community!”