Empower Children for Success launches Swipe Out Hunger program with support from Madigan Family Foundation

FITCHBURG — Empower Children for Success announced that a generous donation from the Madigan Family Foundation in Lancaster has helped make possible the initial launch of its Swipe Out Hunger Gift Card Nutrition Support Program, a new initiative designed to address food insecurity with dignity and choice.

The Swipe Out Hunger program provides $25 grocery gift cards to individuals and families who rely on local food pantries. While pantries play a critical role in meeting immediate needs, gift cards allow families to purchase fresh foods, culturally appropriate items, baby essentials, and other necessities that may not always be available through pantry distributions.

The Madigan Family Foundation’s support allowed ECFS to move this program from concept to action. Thanks to this initial investment, ECFS successfully distributed its first round of gift cards to pantry users, offering immediate relief to families facing rising food costs and economic instability.

“Food insecurity affects not only physical health, but also emotional well-being and family stability,” said Marites MacLean, president and co-founder of Empower Children for Success. “The Madigan Family Foundation’s generosity helped us take an important first step in addressing hunger in a way that respects the dignity, autonomy, and lived realities of the families we serve.”

Swipe Out Hunger is designed as a community-supported program, in collaboration with local food pantries, and community organizations to reach families most impacted by food insecurity. ECFS aims to expand the program through additional funding partnerships to ensure consistent monthly support for pantry users across North Central Massachusetts.

This launch reflects ECFS’s broader mission to strengthen families, reduce stress caused by unmet basic needs, and promote healthier outcomes for children. Access to nutritious food is a cornerstone of family well-being, and programs like Swipe Out Hunger help remove barriers that can impact learning, development, and stability.

Empower Children for Success extends its sincere gratitude to the Madigan Family Foundation for believing in this vision and helping lay the foundation for a program that will continue to grow and nourish our community.

For more information about the Swipe Out Hunger Gift Card Nutrition Support Program or to learn how to support this initiative, visit Empower Children for Success at empowerchildrenforsuccess.org.