The Northwest Louisiana Food Bank, a member of HOPE for the Homeless, the local continuum of care coalition, partners with a broad range of community service and faith-based organizations to serve the hungry.

Deidre Osborn, Kid's Cafe program director, with teen volunteers.

Replicating a national model of America's Second Harvest, the food bank this summer partnered with local faith-based organizations to initiate a Kid's Cafe program. The program's goal is to break the cycle of hunger and poverty in children, thereby enabling them to prosper.

To do this, Kid's Cafe provides nutritionally balanced meals and academic encouragement to low-income children in a safe environment. In addition to nutritious meals, the program provides classes on nutrition, hygiene, healthy lifestyle habits, character development, culinary arts, life skills and gardening.

This summer, there were three Kid's Cafes hosted by local faith-based organizations: Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy, Lake Bethlehem Baptist Church and the Salvation Army's Bossier City Boys and Girls Club. All three have extensive educational enrichment programs in place. Through these faith-based partners, Kid's Cafe currently serves more than 400 children five days a week in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.

In addition, children attending St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral vacation bible school made a project of the Kid's Cafe initiative this summer, collecting more than 361 pounds of food and becoming the first local church to sponsor an ingathering to contribute food to the project.

And now that school has started, Kid's Cafes will be opening at J.S. Clark Middle School, Central Elementary, Ingersoll Elementary and Booker T. Washington High School. These schools are also planning extensive and innovative after-school programs, which Kid's Cafe will enhance by serving an evening meal, along with special classes and other extras. While the local initiative is less than a year old, the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank hopes to open other Kid's Cafes with the help of community and faith-based partners.

The "Garden Crew" from the Kid's Caf�.