Kids Care Clubs around the world will be feeding the hungry during the tenth annual Kids Care Week, October 18 to October 24, 2009. Kids Care Week concludes on Make a Difference Day, Saturday, October 24.

This year, Kids Care Clubs are focusing on hunger and using microfinance as a tool to offer a small grant or "microloan" to make a big difference. Thanks to the Kids Care Club premier partner, Quaker, mini-grants/ microloans will be awarded to Kids Care Clubs in the United States, Saudi Arabia and China.


Kids Care Clubs were inspired to introduce the tool of microfinance to feed the hungry by the book "One Hen - How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference," written by Katie Smith Milway. A copy of the book will be given to all microloan recipients.

The goals of the Kids Care Week 2009 project are to:

- Educate kids about microfinance and world hunger
- Implement a service project to feed the hungry locally, nationally or globally
- Explore finance and philanthropy on a kid-friendly level

Examples of projects using microfinance to feed the hungry include the Yancey Kids Care Club in Esmont, Virginia and the Barka Kids Care Club in Derry, New Hampshire, making One Hen bracelets and the Cloverly Kids Care Club in Silver Springs, Maryland and the Volunteer Connection of Northwest Ohio in Defiance, Ohio creating cookbooks that include healthy recipes and information about microfinance and local agencies serving the hungry.


The Cougars Care Kids Care Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Kidz Count Kids Care Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the Ras Tanura Kids Care Club in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia will be hosting family dinners to raise funds and feed the hungry.

Since 1990, Kids Care Clubs has been developing compassion and the spirit of service in elementary and middle school age youth. There are 1800 registered Kids Care Clubs in the world. To learn more about Kids Care Clubs, visit www.kidscare.org.