Maytag Introduces New 'Feel Good Fridge' Initiative to Help Provide Dependable Access to Healthy Food for Children

Access to healthy food is an issue for millions of children and the pandemic made the situation even worse. In fact, a 2020 study cites that 27.5 percent of households with children are food insecure, which means about 14 million children in the United States are not getting enough to eat.¹ That is why Maytag – a leading appliance brand built on dependability – is launching the Maytag® Feel Good Fridge program in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, placing Maytag® refrigerators in select Boys & Girls Clubs in underserved communities across the country. The purpose-driven initiative is launching with ten fridges with a goal to be in 30 Clubs by early 2022, to help create thriving communities that children and their families can consistently depend on.

“Maytag believes dependability starts with ensuring that all Americans have access to their most basic needs, and having access to healthy and nourishing food is one of the most important needs of children,” says Kelly Roche, Brand Manager for Maytag. “We’re delighted to help provide children with this access by placing our Feel Good Fridges at the Boys & Girls Clubs, proudly expanding on our nearly 20-year relationship with the organization.”

Maytag is working with Academy Award winner, producer, actor and TV host Terrence Jenkins, to launch the Maytag® Feel Good Fridge efforts. Jenkins is very involved with Boys & Girls Clubs of America as an alum from North Carolina and an advocate for fighting food insecurity, most recently working with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) around the country to get healthier food to students and establish healthier habits for them. Jenkins recently visited the first Maytag® Feel Good Fridge reveal in Los Angeles to officially launch the initiative.

“I am very passionate about helping meet children’s needs for healthy food. So, working with Maytag for the opportunity to bring Feel Good Fridges to the Boys & Girls Clubs across the country was a no brainer to me,” says Jenkins. “As someone who personally knows the importance of having a local Boys & Girls Club, I am honored to help Club kids in underserved communities get access to healthy food.”

In addition to providing the refrigerators, Maytag is providing Boys & Girls Clubs of America with a small grant to help fill the Feel Good Fridges with healthy food. The Clubs will also leverage their local relationships to keep the fridges full of healthy options for kids and their families. It’s estimated that each Maytag® Feel Good Fridge will help provide healthy food to an estimated 130 Club kids each day.² Club kids and teens will customize the fridge with Maytag decals, which suggest healthy food choices and healthy eating tips to support Boys and Girls Clubs’ existing Healthy Habits curriculum.

“Maytag has been a dependable ally in our Club communities for nearly two decades and the Feel Good Fridge program addresses a very important effort, allowing our youth and their families to live a healthier lifestyle,” says Laura Gover, Senior Director of Health & Wellness at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Access to healthy food encourages youth to make choices that support their overall wellness, which can change the trajectory of a youth’s life entirely. Giving our Club children access to healthy food will help them to thrive and continue our mission of helping kids achieve their potential.”

Boys & Girls Clubs in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit and Grand Rapids will be the first to receive official Maytag Feel Good Fridges. Once installed, the Maytag® Feel Good Fridges will help ensure an important basic need is met, removing a barrier to healthier communities and helping children to thrive. To learn more, donate or volunteer at your local Club, please visit maytag.com/feelgoodfridge.

¹As of June 2020. An analysis by the Brookings Institution
²Based on ten Maytag® Feel Good Fridges installed in LA, NY, Detroit and Grand Rapids, MI Clubs in September and October 2021