
CLEVELAND -- When school lets out for summer, many children in Northeast Ohio lose access to one critical resource they rely on during the day: a nutritious meal.
To help bridge that gap, two major nonprofits -- the Children's Hunger Alliance and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank -- are teaming up to expand summer meal access across the region.
"The fact is that one in four children in our service area are food insecure, and with rates like that, no one organization can meet the need alone," said Kristin Warzocha, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
This summer, the organizations will offer meals at 137 sites throughout Northeast Ohio.
"So it means together, more children will have access to a nutritious meal this summer when they really need it," Warzocha told 3News.
In a show of unity and efficiency, the two nonprofits will also share office space, a move leaders say will help streamline operations and better serve the community.
"We've got about six employees up there, and we don't need to be in another office when there's this great space we can be in," said Michelle Brown, CEO of the Children's Hunger Alliance.
With food prices up and the demand for assistance rising, both organizations say collaboration is more important than ever.
"When food costs are up 23% over the last five years, we need to be creative and we need to be collaborative," Warzocha stated. "Last year, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and our network of a thousand agency partners provided food to more than 400,000 people."
United by a shared mission to fight childhood hunger, both groups hope their efforts will make a lasting impact.
"We want you to understand how we work together and how this will enhance services for children and families in Cleveland," Brown said.