Profile of a Houston Hero
Posted by Ruth Burrell on Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Share Our Strength is proud to fund the work of Ruth Burrell, Executive Director of Kids’ Meals, Inc. in Houston, Texas. Kids’ Meals, Inc. is the only “meals on wheels” program in the country designed specifically for kids. They serve 1,200 meals each day to children ages 0-5. Kids’ Meals makes healthy lunches and bring them to kids in need, everyday. On our trip in Houston, our Hinges of Hope team was able to serve children directly through Kids Meals, meet the staff, and visit the communities. Below, Executive Director Ruth Burrell shares her commitment to making Houston the first U.S. city that is free of childhood hunger.
I started fighting hunger insecurities among children over 15 years ago with the first meals on wheels program for kids in the nation. I took a trip to Cartagena, Colombia, where I spoke at a class at the local college, introducing volunteerism to the community. I saw first-hand people and children living in poverty in this third world country.
Once I returned, I realized Houston had the same problems, some of the same diseases, and the same hunger problems. It really opened up my eyes.
During my quest to end hunger, I have seen children so hungry they would eat dirt. A three-year-old ended up in the hospital because he ate the dirt near his home that was full of lead paint.
I have witnessed single parents working two and three jobs and ending up with less than $20 to spend on groceries and then their child has an asthma attack, and the $20 dollars goes to pay for the medicine.
I have seen sickness, malnourished children that never grew up, a 10-year-old who never grew out of a 7-year-old body.
I have been in homes with dirt floors where the refrigerators only have baking soda and one bottle of water. What do you do when a child asks you what took you so long to find me?
It’s unacceptable for children to be living in these conditions. My job has became my mission; my mission has become my passion and it will make a difference.
Kids’ Meals has gone from serving 800 children to serving 1,200 children a day. We plan to take on additional 200 children by the end of the year, bringing the total number of children served to 1,400 each day.
As Executive Director of Kids’ Meals, I have set out to make Houston the first city to have no hungry children and to empower people living in poverty with available resources and educational tools to create a platform upon which they can build better lives for themselves and their families.
March 30, 2010 | 2 comment(s) | Tags: childhood hunger, Hinges of Hope, houston
Comments
2 reader comments so far.
Way to go KIDS MEALS!! RUTH BURRELL Is AMAZING!!!!
Posted by Julie Moorhead on June 19, 2010
Thank you for your tireless energy set forth in ending childhood hunger in America....Thanks for helping us learn how to feed hungry kids in our own neighborhood
Posted by David Williams on December 29, 2010
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