For the third year, the Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite Fundraiser is raising money for the MV Boys & Girls Club’s Healthy Happy Kids program.
We’ve supported and seen H2K in action over its two years, seen it grow, and witness the difference it is making with the struggle of childhood hunger and food insecurity here on the Martha’s Vineyard. With substantial, nutritious snacks and cooked meals, the Club is now serving one in three Island public school children each day, with no extra cost to the kids or parents.
Healthy Happy Kids Program
The Boys & Girls Club estimates it will cost $45,000 to run the program in the coming year. An increase from last year’s $40,000, with more children participating in the Club’s After School Program. In 2017, we were able to raise the $40,000 and are working to raise the now $45,000 needed.
Every dollar donated goes directly to the Club. Point B has completely underwritten the cost of the #mvteddybearsuite.
What your donation provides for hundreds of Island children
$50 feeds 25 children for one day
$100 feeds 50 children for one day
$200 feeds all the children for one day
$1,000 feeds one child from September to June
Many of the children that come to the Club for the after school program, also receive assistance with food at school. If they are not eating at school or the Club, chances are there is a lack of food, especially nutritious good stuff, which the Club provides.
Healthy Happy Kids Expands
Healthy Happy Kids has become an integral part of the kids’ lives. They look forward to eating at the Club. Kids have begun getting involved with menu planning. Some are even learning how to cook.
Also, the kids are learning about nutrition and how to eat healthy. This is something that will serve them for the rest of their lives, and important in shaping their eating habits.
The program has expanded as well. There are bags of food that parents and kids can take home for the weekend. The bags of food include things like canned veggies, pasta sauce, pasta and more.
Island Grown Gleaning brings fresh Island grown veggies to the Club to be brought home. An great way to continue those healthy eating habits at home.
The program has also grown to include support from the Boston Food Bank. The Boston Food Bank has begun delivering fresh produce to the Club for Healthy Happy Kids. This was an area where there was a shortage in past years.
Having the addition of fresh produce has really added to the quality of Healthy Happy Kids. However, the program needs to be funded to be successful and continue.
That is why the Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite is so important. Though the suite itself has ended, and we’ve named our new big bear, Tashmoo, we are continuing to fundraise for this crucial program.
We currently have $28,000+ of the $45,000 needed to completely underwrite Healthy Happy Kids. We still have $17,000 more dollars to raise.
Celebrate the spirit of the season by providing the most basic of needs to almost 800 Island school children. Together, we can help hundreds of Island kids know that they will not go hungry during the school week when they’re at the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club. Together we can help kids enjoy being kids. Click here to make a donation.
Our website MVTEDDYBEARSUITE.COM is the home of all things fundraising and Teddy Bear Suite related. And if you use social media, our hashtag is #myteddybearsuite which will automatically add your pictures to our social media photo feed!