The Need

Children with disabilities are 3x more likely to be malnourished, and SPOON has found rates of malnutrition in childcare institutions as high as 91%.

 

SPOON serves two groups of vulnerable children who sometimes overlap: children with disabilities, and those living outside of family care.

These children are much more likely to experience malnutrition than their peers.

Graphic showing children with disabilities and children living outside of permanent family care

A great need

SPOON estimates that as many as 250 million children worldwide could benefit from our programs.

Because these children are typically not served by existing nutrition and health systems, SPOON makes sure they’re included and given a chance to thrive.

Now, more than ever

As of March 2022, 6.7 million children have lost their primary caregiver due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the pandemic has made it harder for families who have children with disabilities to access housing, food, employment, and specialized services. SPOON’s work ensures that these children are not further left behind.

For more information about the need these children face around the globe, and to learn more about SPOON’s policy and advocacy efforts, read our Advocacy Brief here.