WHY DRIVE OUT HUNGER
Due to Federal benefits cuts, inflation, and rising costs, families are being forced into impossible choices between paying rent, covering basic needs, and putting food on the table, specifically school lunches for their children.
The United Way of Greater Mercer County (UWGMC) unites people and resources to build a stronger, more connected community. In this moment, when so many households are stretched to the breaking point, we are intensifying our focus on food security.
This fall, we will launch the inaugural Drive Out Hunger event, a new UWGMC initiative that builds on the impact of the original Strike Out Hunger campaign, featuring a golf clinic to raise funds to help eliminate school meal debt and provide meal assistance for children whose families are facing financial hardship but do not qualify for free or reduced-price school meal programs. As rents, utilities, and grocery prices continue to rise, the daily cost of meals has become even more challenging for already burdened families.
For many students, school breakfast and lunch are more than just meals. They are a vital source of nutrition, stability, and opportunity. When children have reliable access to healthy meals, they are better prepared to focus, learn, and thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
By joining Drive Out Hunger, you will make a tangible and meaningful difference in the lives of local families who are being forced to choose between essentials and ensure that no child is denied access to a nutritious meal because of financial circumstances beyond their family’s control. Your support will help ensure children have access to the school lunches they need and will strengthen our community’s response to food insecurity in our own backyard.
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Transition from Strike Out Hunger to Drive Out Hunger
While the event name and format are changing, the overall mission remains the same -ensure that every child has access to the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and succeed—one meal, one student, and one family at a time.
The new name better reflects the event’s focus as a corporate engagement and volunteerism initiative.
- Strike Out Hunger focused on supporting summer meal programs.
- Drive Out Hunger will focus on reducing school lunch costs and addressing school lunch debt for local families.
