“In two U.S. cities … significant results were achieved through intentional collaboration around summer meals:

• Detroit: A collaborative effort prevented the loss of 200 summer meals sites in 2012 and helped achieve a 29 percent increase in summer meals in 2013.
• Baltimore: A collaborative effort helped achieve a 10 percent increase in summer meals in 2013.

What is different in these cities? Share Our Strength’s Center for Best Practices partnered with Community Wealth Partners to highlight the stories of collaboration occurring in these two cities and to better understand the potential intentional collaboration has to improve results around summer meals in other locations. … By pursuing the collective impact model, these groups saw a number of powerful benefits, including strategic coordination of resources, alleviation of ‘red tape’ barriers and collective recognition of regulatory challenges, and opportunities for a cohesive, region-wide awareness campaign. The experiences of Detroit and Baltimore bring to light important considerations for other communities about the value of collaboration.”

This report is included in our list of TEN NOTABLE RESOURCES FOR CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION IN FOOD SECURITY.