Some may wonder why the Norton Foundation is a strong supporter of Dare to Care. The answer is simple – kids can’t learn if they’re hungry. And kids need to eat healthy food to succeed – in school and in life.
Dare to Care is a vital organization in our community. At its core, Dare to Care feeds thousands of our neighbors and friends each day providing food to emergency kitchens, shelters, and food pantries. In addition it provides programming to reach the most vulnerable in our community, such as children and seniors. For example, Dare to Care’s program Backpack Buddy provides nutritious, kid-friendly foods to children from low-income families on weekends, when they do not receive free and reduced-price breakfasts and lunches at school during the week. A school representative that is a beneficiary of this program says “The food is critical in our ability to address non-academic barriers to our students’ overall success.”
In 2016 Norton Foundation Board member Maggie Keith joined Dare to Care’s Board of Directors. She did so because the organization recognized the need to supply healthy food in its distribution system, and as a biodynamic farmer she has expertise to offer. Maggie convinced the Norton Foundation that without Dare to Care, some children and families in our community wouldn’t know the joy of eating delicious fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis. Today the Norton Foundation provides general operating support to Dare to Care so that it can focus on its important mission.
We value what Dare to Care does for our community and the people in it.