Kids Helping Kids

Kids' Food Basket has a strong commitment to our Kids Helping Kids program. We believe that youth volunteerism promotes children to be civic-minded, community-oriented, and allows them to participate in their own personal development. Kids can help other kids gain freedom from hunger.

Youth Advisory Board

The KFB Youth Advisory Board is comprised of middle school and high school students.  The board gives students the opportunity to learn about childhood hunger, and the tools to share and act upon this information within their community.  It allows students to build strong leadership skills, to learn how to impact their community, and to have opportunities of leadership and mentoring through Kids' Food Basket.    

The goal for the Youth Advisory Board is to raise awareness of the local problem of childhood hunger, and the mission of KFB, by initiating a Kids Helping Kids/Hunger Takes Flight program in their community.

Youth Advisory Board members receive volunteer service hours for their time, and have had the opportunity to apply for scholarships because of their service.  Last year the Youth Advisory Board members were also representatives at KFB's annual fundraiser Feast for Kids and the Fifth Third River Bank Run.

Hunger Takes Flight: (HTF)

There are two components to Hunger Takes Flight: The Picnic and The Youth Programs.
The Picnic: Every spring in May, 250 students from KFB's recipient schools are invited to a Hunger Takes Flight picnic at the Blandford Nature Center.  At the picnic each child releases a butterfly, which is symbolic and celebratory of his/her freedom from hunger.

The Youth Programs: Simultaneously kids can help release kids from hunger through Hunger Takes Flight programs, which are any off-site volunteer opportunities that are suitable for your school or youth organization.  A KFB staff member is available to share how to be kids helping kids and to celebrate kids helping kids too! A butterfly release celebration is an option for participating elementary schools.

Contact Kathie Rademacher, Manager of Volunteer Services /  Kids Helping Kids, at or (616) 235-4532.

Article on Empowering Youth Philanthropists