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Cleveland Clinic donated $1.25 million to Children’s Hunger Alliance on Friday, May 15.
Cleveland Clinic is investing in the health of Northeast Ohio’s youngest residents with a $1.25 million donation to Children’s Hunger Alliance (CHA), expanding access to nutritious meals and food education for preschoolers in eight counties.
Leaders from Cleveland Clinic presented a ceremonial check during the organization’s Side by Side fundraiser held on May 14 at Music Box Supper Club.
“Caring for the community is at the heart of our mission,” said Monica Yepes-Rios, M.D., medical director of Community Health and Food as Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. “This investment will help bridge the hunger gap for preschool-aged children, providing them with the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.”
According to Feeding America, nearly one in five Ohio children live with the daily uncertainty of not knowing where their next meal will come from. Food insecurity is particularly devastating for young children, as the first five years are a critical window for growth. Hunger at this age can lead to long-term developmental delays and a weakened immune system.
To address this need, CHA served 10.1 million meals in 2025 to 125,000 children in 74 Ohio counties across all of its program areas.
CHA partners with almost 670 in-home providers and 100 childcare centers statewide to deliver healthy meals and nutrition education to preschoolers in need. By focusing on this age group, Cleveland Clinic and CHA are helping children build a strong nutritional foundation before kindergarten.
Cleveland Clinic’s contribution will help CHA:
“Cleveland Clinic’s impactful investment allows CHA to innovate to eliminate childhood hunger for kids in childcare,” said Michelle M. Brown, CHA President and CEO. “We will be able to provide comprehensive nutrition services to over 2,000 children and set them up for success early, rather than trying to address food-related health issues later in life.”
This contribution builds on Cleveland Clinic’s broader efforts to address food insecurity through philanthropy and care-based programs, including teaching kitchens, pediatric summer and weekend meal initiatives, food vouchers, grocery delivery, free produce from local farms and Nourish food pantries for eligible patients.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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Since 1970, CHA has been leading the charge to end childhood hunger in Ohio, providing nutritious meals and food education to children right where they are, every day of the year. CHA is the largest comprehensive statewide organization focused solely on children’s food security and nutrition education. In 2025, CHA provided 10.1 million meals to 125,000 children while partnering with nearly 1,600 sites across 74 counties. For more information, please visit www.chaohio.org.
Connect with us on LinkedIn – @CHAohio, Instagram – @childrenshungeralliance, and Facebook – @CHAohio.
