About Milford Food 2 Kids
Mission: To feed local school children who have little or no food resources during the weekends
Milford Food 2 Kids is an initiative of the First United Church of Christ, Milford, in collaboration with CT Food Bank and in partnership with our schools, along with many caring individuals, civic organizations, communities of faith, and groups in Milford. This community food support initiative addresses the needs of local children who face food insecurity, having little or no food during the weekends away from school.
Unfortunately, Milford is not alone in this challenge. Food insecurity among children in CT is approximately 11.5%, and nationwide, around 9 million children experience food insecurity. For more information, read about child hunger in Connecticut.
During the 2015-16 school year, our local food program expanded from serving 26 students in the winter/spring of 2016 to over 200 students at sixteen elementary, middle, and high schools by the spring of 2023.
To continue supporting the ongoing needs throughout the Milford community, we actively seek donors and sponsors to assist children in need across all our schools.
We aim to establish a sustainable program because a child who eats today may still be hungry tomorrow. We invite the community to join us on this mission so that we can achieve our goal for 2026-2027
Our vision is to break the cycle of food insecurity, ensuring every young person has the opportunity to thrive!
Meet Our Management Team
Board of Directors
Michele Steinlauf, Rev. Ashley Grant, Thomas O’Donnell, Kristine Rodriguez, Nicole Wayne, and Sandra Jaynes are all actively involved in initiatives aimed at community food support, particularly focusing on food insecurity among children through local food programs.
Reverend Ashley Graham
Ashley serves as Associate Pastor at First United Church of Christ in Milford. She studied at the University of Georgia and Yale University Divinity School. Ashley and her husband Adam have four children, with two attending UConn and two enrolled in Milford Public Schools. Inspired by the Food 2 Kids Program from her hometown in Georgia, she initiated discussions for a community food support program in Milford, leading her to co-found Milford Food2Kids alongside Michele Steinlauf, with the backing of First Church. Ashley values her commitment to addressing food insecurity children face through local food programs and enjoys participating in service work as well as mission trips aimed at empowering youth. Guided by Mother Theresa's words, “If you can’t feed a hundred, then feed just one,” her mission is clear: feed them.
Michele Steinlauf
Michele is a retiree with a robust background in corporate sales and marketing. She leverages her professional experience to enhance community food support in Milford. A lifelong resident of Milford, she is deeply committed to the area and works tirelessly to address the needs of the community, beginning with the local food program, Milford Food 2 Kids, which helps combat food insecurity among children. Michele also serves on First Church of Milford’s Medical Equipment Ministry and collaborates with various charitable organizations to ensure that the vulnerable in our community receive essential resources—from food and school supplies to rehabilitation equipment, warm clothing, and fuel for heating. Together with her husband, David, she raised three children who thrived in the Milford Public School System.
Recognition
The Milford Council of PTAs honored Michele and Ashley with the National PTA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Ashley was recognized as Milford Public Schools’ District Wide Parent of the Year. Both have been delighted to receive honors for their outstanding contributions to community food support and for nurturing children facing food insecurity. Their dedicated volunteering efforts have also garnered citations from the State of Connecticut, particularly highlighting the impact of the Milford Food 2 Kids local food program and its family of support.
Other Communities Have Followed In Our Footsteps
Michele Steinlauf, Rev. Ashley Grant, Thomas O’Donnell, Kristine Rodriguez, Nicole Wayne, and Sandra Jaynes are all actively involved in initiatives aimed at community food support, particularly focusing on food insecurity among children through local food programs.
For only $150. you can feed a local child for one-half year!
Copyright © 2026 Graphicways Design - All Rights Reserved.
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.