Our Story and Mission

Feeding Kids of Cleveland County, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was started in 2016 out of the homes of several families who wanted to make a difference in the lives of students in need in our community. Since our inception, we have grown from serving 20 children in 2016 to serving 600 children in 2024, which adds up to over 1,000 total people (adults included) we are currently and consistently serving through our programs.

Our mission is to provide food and books to students and families who are identified as food insecure in Cleveland County.

We do this through our weekend food bags, school break food and book deliveries, and our annual Community Table Thanksgiving Meals.

In our county, 1 in 3 children are food insecure. Extended breaks from school such as Spring Break and Winter Break leave hundreds of students without a reliable source of food they would normally receive through the school nutrition program at both breakfast and lunch.

With the work of Cleveland County Schools social workers and our team of volunteers, we provide a bag of shelf-stable, kid-friendly food on weekends as well as a large box of shelf-stable food, a bag of fresh food, and age-appropriate books during the 4 major breaks from school throughout the year to bridge this nutritional gap: Spring Break, Summer Break, Thanksgiving Break, and Winter Break. During Summer Break, we deliver 3 times since this is the longest break for students.

Additionally, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day, we help host and coordinate 6 Community Table Thanksgiving Meals across Cleveland County to which all members of the community are invited.

Throughout the year, we make over 1,500 deliveries of food and books and feed over 1,400 people at Thanksgiving across our county, making sure students and families do not go hungry and aren’t alone.

Our Programs

School Break Food & Book Deliveries

For some students, school breaks mean missing out on access to food. Therefore, we work with Cleveland County Schools social workers to identify students in need. Volunteers work to collect, package, and deliver food to the homes of these students.

Weekend Food Bags

In order to support students in need of food on the weekends away from regular school meals, we provide ready-to-eat food to take home on Friday. Donors from our community purchase monthly food items to fill backpacks with food that students take home. Once a month, we ask you to drop off the items you sign up to purchase (click below) at one of our approved drop-off sites around the community. Click HERE for the list of places you can drop off.

Community Table Thanksgiving Meals

The Community Table Thanksgiving Meal is a community-wide effort aiming to bring all areas of Cleveland County together in unity for a shared meal and fellowship. This year, the meals happened at 6 locations in Cleveland County at the same time on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 in some of our community’s high need areas. Over 1,500 people were served in total.

One of our goals for the meal is to have as many Cleveland County businesses, churches, organizations, groups, and individuals embrace this idea, not just to serve and provide, but also to come together and enjoy a meal with one another.

Our 2025 meals will take place on Wednesday, November 26.

Reading Kids Cleveland County

A Decade of Difference: Feeding Kids Together

We hope you will consider supporting our 2025-26 Giving Campaign!

Our fundraising goal this year is $100,000 as we celebrate 10 years of Feeding Kids Cleveland County.

Feeding Kids Cleveland County is honored to celebrate 10 years of serving children and families—and even more humbled to have been named the 2024 Non-Profit of the Year by the Cleveland County Chamber. This recognition affirms what we know to be true: our community believes in caring for its most vulnerable members.

As we launch our Decade of Difference: Feeding Kids Together campaign for the 2025–2026 school year, we invite you to join us as a sponsor and help expand our impact.

Together, we will deliver fresh food, non-perishables, and books to more than 880 children during school breaks and summer months; serve over 1,500 meals at our annual Community Table Thanksgiving event; distribute books through our Reading Kids program and new Little Free Libraries; and provide at least 162 weekend food bags each week to students experiencing hunger.

Our goal this year is to raise $100,000, with sponsorships beginning at just $360—a level where every supporter can make a difference. Your sponsorship provides food, stories, and stability for local children while being recognized publicly through social media, signage, and printed materials.

Commitments are due by November 4, 2025. With your partnership, we can make the next decade even more impactful for the children and families we serve.

Volunteer with Feeding kids

Throughout the year, we welcome volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to help us accomplish tasks and reach our goals. At Feeding Kids, we are powered by volunteers and value each and every person who steps through our doors to pack boxes, deliver food, donate books or food, and make a real difference in the lives of students in need right in our county. If you and your family, business, faith community, friend group or civic organization want to volunteer with us, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jada Hardin, today by clicking below. We cannot wait to welcome you to our mission in Cleveland County.

Volunteer sign-up links will be posted here and sent out by email shortly before the event dates.

Donate to Feeding Kids

We rely on the donations, financially and through food or books, of community members like you to make our mission possible. We are a certified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. Click the buttons below to learn more about donating, set up recurring giving, or host a food or book drive today. We are so thankful!

Looking for assistance?

 We are only able to work with school social workers employed by Cleveland County Schools to provide food and books to students in need. Our community is full of resources that can help with different needs that go beyond our scope - from healthcare, clothing, and extra food. Please click below to access a guide from the Cleveland County Health Department.