Channoty Robinson works at Kirkpatrick Community Center, a Second Harvest Partner Agency in Nashville. One of her favorite parts of her job is overseeing the Center’s At- Risk Afterschool Program, now in its second year.

Channoty remembers having to pay for extra food out of her own pocket to feed the kids that she serves and cares so much about. She mostly picked up healthier items like apples, oranges and granola bars, but this became expensive. She doesn’t know how much longer she could have continued without help.

Now, every afternoon during the school year, girls and boys ages 6 to 14 stop by the center for a balanced, filling after-school meal and stay for a number of fun activities. These include everything from dance classes to basketball to skating.

For Channoty, the most important part of the program — besides the food you help provide through your gifts to Second Harvest — is the opportunity she has to teach kids about good nutrition.

“The younger you teach them about healthy food, the better it will stick,” she explains. 

Although she’s met many children through the program, one student Channoty will never forget is Darlene.* When Darlene first started attending the program, she was ill-tempered and disruptive with other kids. But Channoty soon realized the issue was that this little girl was not getting enough to eat every day. After a few days of a steady afternoon snack and receiving food to take home in her backpack, Darlene’s attitude and behavior improved. Channoty’s truly grateful you help make this possible.

“Thank you a million times,” Channoty says, on behalf of the children in her care. “Please continue to give — it really does make a difference.”

*Child’s name has been changed