Childhood Food Solutions

Childhood Food Solutions (CFS) was founded in July of 2007 by seven individuals in Cincinnati, Ohio, who were convinced of the overwhelming need to feed hungry children and convicted by a desire to do something about hunger in their community. They focused on zip code 45225, an area of high poverty, high crime and hungry, food-insecure children.

Childhood Food Solutions is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop solutions for childhood food insecurity that can be applied in a community, tested for effectiveness and duplicated in other communities.

CFS provides a daily afternoon snack of complex carbohydrates and fruit to recreation centers and distribution points in the 45225 zip code of Cincinnati. We provide large food sacks of 14 meals each to children during the end of the month as well. During other times of the year, CFS provides weekend sacks, Spring break sacks, and Winter break sacks. Our work reaches the over 1,800 food insecure children in the low-income neighborhoods of Cincinnati.

CFS monitors actual reading and math proficiency for children who receive our food. So far, after two years, 40% more of our students (grades 3-8) are reading and doing math at Ohio “proficiency” levels. CFS research has shown that insufficient nutrition and hunger at an early age may hinder brain development and the ability for students to perform at their best in school.

CFS greatly appreciates donations of food, time, and money. All money will be used directly to purchase food. Please contact the executive director, Tony Fairhead, for suggestions of food items to donate, for information about volunteering to put food sacks together and transporting items, and for any other queries. He can be reached at tony@childhoodfoodsolutions.org.