News & Resources

It’s Healthy Kids Month at Miami Children’s Museum and what better way to celebrate than by providing families in South Florida experiencing food insecurity with access to nutritious foods and resources that inspire a healthy lifestyle.  While Miami Children’s Museum’s galleries are temporarily closed to the public due to Covid-19, it remains dedicated to serving the community and fulfilling its mission, both in person and virtually.  The Museum pivoted its signature Healthy Kids Day event into a drive-thru food distribution to provide our community with a safe and family-fun experience that promotes one of the Museum’s core values: health and wellness.  The Museum has partnered with Farm Share, the largest and most active food distribution organization throughout Florida, to put a good foot forward.  The event is sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers, Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, Geico North Miami, The Kirk Foundation, Susan & Richard Lampen, and Molina Healthcare.

Miami Children’s Museum and Farm Share recognize that many families are in need now more than ever, especially where nutritious and balanced meals are concerned.  About 19% of children in the state of Florida are under food insecurity with high levels of malnutrition expected in 2021 if they are not fed correctly.  With that in mind, the two organizations will host the Healthy Families Fun Food Distribution Drive-Thru on Saturday, January 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Miami Children’s Museum (980 MacArthur Causeway) on Watson Island in Miami.  Families will also receive a Family Fun Kit that will include items to promote physical activity, balanced nutrition, and wellness.  In addition, Florida Blue will be providing 100 free flu shots, in partnership with Walgreens, to anyone who would like to receive one.

Farm Share understands the need for families to eat right so children can grow healthy and strong.  All of the boxes distributed by Farm Share provide well balanced groceries for families.  They make sure that at least 20% of the foods provided are fresh fruits and vegetables, most of which are from Florida farms.

Additional wellness tips and resources are available online through Miami Children’s Museum’s “Museum at Home” Healthy Kids Month programing, or by visiting them on social media.  The Museum’s resources are designed to spark and sustain the conversation about wellness; activate families with at-home physical fitness ideas; and improve the environment for children by increasing the awareness of the healthy options available.

The event is set up to be a contactless drive-thru delivery system.  There will be food packages for up to 500 families on a first come first served basis.  Cars must enter the drive to the Museum from the old A1A and form a line.  Guests must stay in their cars at all times and when it is their turn pull up to the distribution point with their windows closed and trunk open.  After distribution is complete, they can exit the facility.  No walk-ups will be allowed.  Rain or shine.

Since its inception, Farm Share has distributed more than 707 million pounds of food, with a value of more than 1.3 billion dollars.  In 2020 alone, Farm Share distributed more than 104 million pounds of food and served more than 86 million meals to Floridians.  Farm Share meets the everyday hunger needs of Floridians by working hand-in-hand with local farmers to recover and redistribute produce that would otherwise be thrown away due to aesthetic imperfections.

For more information about the drive-thru, please call: 305-373-KIDS (5437) or visit www.miamichildrensmuseum.org.

Though its galleries are temporarily closed to the public, Miami Children’s Museum’s exciting “Museum at Home” online program continues to bring all the experiences of the Museum to the safety and comfort of one’s own home.  Among the ways to access the program and participate are:

Website:       miamichildrensmuseum.org/museum-at-home

Facebook:     facebook.com/miami.childrens.museum  

Instagram:    @miamichildrensmuseum

Twitter:        @MiChiMu

YouTube:      Miami Children’s Museum

Miami Children’s Museum offers bilingual and interactive exhibits, programs, classes and learning materials related to arts, culture, community and communication.  The Museum has 17 interactive galleries and houses many exciting and fun traveling exhibits.  Miami Children’s Museum is dedicated to enriching the lives of all children by fostering a love of learning through play and enabling children to realize their highest potential.  Through arts and educational programs, the Museum seeks to include and target all audiences in Miami’s changing and diverse community by being the “town center” for Miami-Dade County’s children and families.

About Miami Children’s Museum

Founded in 1983, Miami Children’s Museum is dedicated to enriching the lives of all children by fostering a love of learning through play and enabling children to realize their highest potential.  Visitors of all ages are encouraged to play, learn, imagine and create.  The 56,500-square-foot facility includes 17 galleries, classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium and outdoor exhibits, including two playgrounds.  The Museum offers hundreds of bilingual, interactive exhibits; programs and classes, including special needs classes; Subway restaurant; a Kid Smart educational gift shop and learning materials related to arts, culture, community and communication.  To learn more about the museum, please visit www.miamichildrensmuseum.org.

Miami Children’s Museum receives both private and public funding.  The Museum is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, The Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the State of Florida; with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; and the City of Miami.

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