“provide X to someone” vs “provide X for someone”

Solution 1:

One can provide [basically] any X to Y.

However, "provide food for their young" means specifically: care for them by giving them food.

We even have an idiom based on that:

This provides food for thought.

• Parents provide for their children.

To provide for=to sustain or support physically or financially or in some other way that does not just mean to give or supply.

whereas: provide x to y just means: supply or give x to y.

There is also the idea of make provision for [arrange for]:

• The will provided for their upkeep.

The will had a provision that set out a sum of money to do towards upkeep,of, say, properties.

provide for=care for in some way provide [x] to=give or supply with no idea of "caring for" or "taking care of" as in being physically or financially responsible for.

• That man always provided for his family. [financially supported]
• That man always provided funds to his community organization. [gave funds or made funds available to]