Kaleideum, Winston-Salem’s experiential learning museum, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Museums for All program this summer. Building upon its commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, Kaleideum will now extend program benefits to recipients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina’s Link2Feed cardholders so they can visit Kaleideum at a reduced admission price of $3 per person.
Museums for All is a national access program that encourages individuals of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum habits. Through Museums for All, those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) can gain free or reduced admission to more than 1,000 museums throughout the United States simply by presenting their SNAP EBT (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefit Transfer) card. Museums can also choose to expand the program, like Kaleideum has, by accepting other food assistance programs.
By partnering with local organizations and implementing innovative initiatives, Kaleideum seeks to eliminate financial barriers that prevent individuals and families from enjoying the museum. “We believe that education and access to cultural experiences should be available to everyone in our community, regardless of their economic circumstances,” said Elizabeth Dampier, Kaleideum Chief Executive Officer. “By expanding our Museums for All program to include WIC recipients and Link2Feed cardholders, we are taking another step toward breaking down barriers and creating an inclusive space for all individuals and families to explore, learn, and grow together.”
WIC is a federal assistance program that provides nutrition education, healthy food, and other support to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, and young children. Similarly, Second Harvest Food Bank’s Link2Feed cardholders are individuals and families who sometimes must turn to the Food Bank’s food assistance network.
“With the Link2Feed card, a person is able to visit any food assistance program in Second Harvest Food Bank’s 18-county service area,” said Nikki McCormick, Vice President, Partnerships and Impact, for Second Harvest Food Bank. “The system is designed to make the intake process easier by securely storing information that can be accessed by all the programs in Second Harvest’s network. We are excited to work with Kaleideum and provide additional benefits and exceptional learning opportunities for families receiving food assistance!”
To receive the reduced admission, individuals should present their EBT, WIC, or Link2Feed Card at Kaleideum’s Welcome Desk. To learn more about the Museums for All program and its expanded offerings, please visit https://museums4all.org/.
About Kaleideum
Kaleideum is an experiential learning museum in Winston-Salem, NC, with a mission to “inspire wonder, curiosity, and lifelong learning in our children and community through interactive play and discovery.” Kaleideum broke ground on a new museum in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem in August 2021 with an expected completion date of fall 2023 and a grand opening in early 2024. In the interim, Kaleideum remains open at the 400 W Hanes Mill Road location.
About Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank is the primary source of food for a network of more than 500 local food assistance programs (pantries, community kitchens, shelters, and meals programs for children and seniors) serving communities throughout 18 Northwest North Carolina counties. Second Harvest’s Providence Culinary Training programs and related social enterprises provide pathways to family-sustaining employment. Every day, Second Harvest strives to address the critical connections between hunger and health, with a focus on alleviating childhood hunger, providing impactful nutrition education, advocating for policies that strengthen families, and collaborating with others to build locally relevant solutions to hunger and poverty. Second Harvest Food Bank is a proud member of Feeding the Carolinas and Feeding America. Learn more about its work and get involved at SecondHarvestNWNC.org.
