No Child Goes Hungry (NCGH) has donated $1,000 to the Island Montessori School of Wilmington, North Carolina. The mission of Island Montessori Charter School is to enable children of diverse backgrounds to learn and grow at their own pace by offering a developmentally appropriate and challenging academic Montessori environment that models grace and courtesy and fosters a peaceful community of lifelong learners.
According to Nicole Smith, a member of the school’s board of directors, Island Montessori school is experiencing a significant increase in families needing financial assistance who have struggled to provide school lunches to their kids.
“Pre-COVID, the school was supporting five to ten percent of our students with lunches,” said Smith. “That number has increased to 23 percent this year. With the average cost of a child’s lunch at $4.50, this increased need has placed a financial strain on our school’s budget.”
To help support the students at Island Montessori School, NCGH has donated $1,000, which will provide over 200 student lunches.
“It is vital that students have access to healthy, nourishing food during the school day so they can focus on their education,” said NCGH Founder and Director Kären Rasmussen. “For anyone wondering what they can do to make an impact in the fight against childhood hunger in their community, I always encourage them to contact their local school district and ask how they can help. Let’s feed some kids!”