Doctors Hospital of Manteca it donated 3,530 servings of cereal and $160 to Second Harvest of the Greater Valley, during its annual Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive, which ran from June 5-12.

The donations collected will help provide local children and adults struggling with hunger with a healthy breakfast.

Good nutrition is essential to good health, and summer is a particularly tough time for many food-insecure families because children can no longer rely on schools for nutritious meals, putting an added burden on these families.

Whole-grain cereal, when part of a healthy, balanced breakfast, is a popular food item that experts say can help address the hunger gap during the summer months when children are not in school.

“The Cereal Drive has been a longstanding tradition at our hospital and we are so appreciative for the support we receive,” said Eleze Armstrong, CEO of Doctors Hospital of Manteca. “This initiative goes hand-in-hand with our mission of providing quality, compassionate care in the communities we serve, and we are proud to help provide healthy meals for those in need in our community.”

 The monetary donations will help the food bank buy perishable items such as milk, fruit/vegetables, and lean protein that can complement whole grains and help create a complete healthy breakfast. Second Harvest of the Greater Valley serves eight counties including Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Merced, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne.

Doctors Hospital is one of the largest businesses in the community. There are more than 500 employees and a medical staff of more than 150 physicians.

While offering the convenience and accessibility of a small hospital, Doctors Hospital offers many advanced clinical services. Private patient rooms, expanded and enhanced imaging services, emergency, pharmacy, ICU/CCU and obstetrical services are designed for the care and comfort of  patients. \Doctors Hospital of Manteca is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization