We’re proud to feature two new grant recipients—Fundación Alimentar Colombia and Compassion Kitchens—who are making a significant impact on childhood malnutrition and food insecurity. These organizations are making a tangible difference in the lives of children in need through their commitment to providing daily food kitchens in their communities.
Fundación Alimentar Colombia
Fundación Alimentar Colombia is dedicated to reducing childhood malnutrition through their communal kitchens program. They currently operate five kitchens in Cartagena, serving over 1,600 children daily with hot, nutritious meals prepared from surplus food recovered from local markets and restaurants. These kitchens are supported by their central hub kitchen that turns the recovered food into delicious meals for the children.
They employ a unique model where children from these communities, who live in makeshift housing without municipal services like running water or electricity, contribute to the kitchen by collecting and bringing trash to the kitchen. This helps manage waste removal, as there is no regular trash collection in the communities where these kitchens operate. The approach emphasizes teaching children responsibility and community values, including waiting patiently, bringing clean food containers, and treating each other with kindness and respect.
The project
We are funding a project that aims to enhance their hub kitchen facility by upgrading the kitchen infrastructure to meet food safety standards and creating additional storage space. It also involves acquiring modern cooking equipment to increase efficiency and capacity. Currently at their limit for the number of children they can support, these enhancements will allow the kitchens to extend their services to an additional 1,000 children living in extreme poverty, advancing their mission to provide essential nourishment.
Compassion Kitchens
Compassion Kitchens focuses on addressing food insecurity among children by supporting community-based kitchens across Colombia. They provide vital assistance by secures funding for eight local kitchens to ensure they have a reliable supply of food to serve. With a 100% volunteer-driven model, Compassion Kitchens ensures that donations directly fund food purchases.
The project
The initiative supports the kitchen Comedor Pan y Vida, located in a homeless encampment in Bogotá, and Comedor Infantil "Campo De La Cruz," situated in one of Atlántico’s most impoverished areas. This project will sustain food purchases for both kitchens for the next year, feeding approximately 200 children daily. These kitchens are crucial for providing meals to children living in challenging environments.
Impacting 2,800 children daily
Supporting projects that address essential physiological needs, such as nutrition, is crucial for children’s growth and well-being. By funding these two initiatives, Kids First is making a significant impact, helping a total of 2,800 children receive a meal every weekday in Colombia. This support not only provides essential nourishment but also contributes to their overall development and quality of life, creating a healthier and brighter future.
