Kids Cafe is one of the nation's largest free meal service programs for low-income children. Founded in 1993 by Feeding America, ConAgra Foods became the program’s national sponsor six years later, and today there are over 1,500 Kids Cafe locations across the country.
Food Bank for the Heartland provides food for 14 Kids Cafes and six after school snack sites in Omaha, Carter Lake, Council Bluffs and South Sioux City. We serve 3,050 meals each week to children who are at-risk of being hungry.
The goal of the Kids Cafe program is to provide an evening meal to children in our community in partnership with organizations that offer a safe haven after school. Food Bank for the Heartland works with the following locations to provide Kids Cafe:
Lydia House at the Open Door Mission
Ruth K. Solomon Center for Girls
Camp Fire USA at Gomez-Heritage School
Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership (ENCAP)
The Hope Center for Kids
Boys & Girls Club, Carter Lake
Salvation Army North Corps
South Omaha YMCA
Camp Fire USA at Saint Mary
Boys & Girls Club, Council Bluffs
Youth Matters
Kids Count
Purpose Driven Advocacy Center
St. Paul United Methodist Church, South Sioux City
For information on starting a Kids Cafe, please contact
Lori Heesch, Child Hunger Program Specialist, 402.905.4829.