BRIDGE: The Nutrition Bridge Program

You Can't learn on an Empty Stomach

Before a student can master digital skills, build financial literacy, or even dream of a career, they must have their most basic needs met. Hunger is a crisis in our community, and it's the single greatest barrier to the futures we are trying to build.

In Franklin County, the statistics are staggering:

• 1 in 5 children faces food insecurity, a rate significantly higher than state and national averages.

• For families visiting local WIC clinics, the food insecurity rate is twice the national average.

• This is an equity crisis. In 2022, nearly 30% of Black Ohioans and one in four Latino Ohioans were food insecure.

Hunger isn't just a missed meal; it's a thief of potential. It impairs cognition, reduces memory, and shatters concentration. Data proves it: high school students earning A's are more than twice as likely to eat breakfast every day compared to students earning D's and F's.

Our Solution: The Nutrition Bridge Program

This is why our essential first step is BRIDGE: The Nutrition Bridge Program. This program is the stable foundation upon which all our other programming is built. It serves as the "bridge" that moves marginalized youth (ages 3–24) from the daily instability of hunger to the cognitive and physical readiness they need to succeed.

We directly remove this critical barrier to success by providing:

• Nutritious Meals On-Site: Every student participating in our activities receives a healthy, sustaining meal. No child will ever have to try to learn while hungry in our classrooms.

• Family Food Pantry: We extend our support to the entire family. Our on-site food pantry allows students and their families to take home essential groceries, promoting stability at home.

The Nutrition Bridge Program (part of our "Building Resilient Individuals for Digital Growth and Empowerment" initiative) is not just a food program. It's the critical investment that unlocks a child's ability to focus, learn, and thrive. By addressing hunger first, we make it possible for our youth to engage fully, master the transformative skills we teach, and begin their journey toward building generational wealth.

We don't just feed kids. We fuel futures.