To the editor:
As the nation continues to grapple with the pandemic, as many as 1 in 6 kids could be facing hunger in Indiana. Luckily, we have at our disposal a powerful tool to make sure kids don’t have to start their day with an empty stomach. School breakfast provides the consistent nutrition kids need to learn, grow and reach their full potential.
Here in Indiana, partners are working non-stop to ensure kids are able to access healthy school breakfast. The Indiana Partnership for Hunger-Free Students coordinates statewide efforts to ensure that no child goes hungry in the state, and is composed of groups like school nutrition professionals, community advocates, health systems, and university partners.
For example, thanks to support from Purdue Extension’s Nutrition Education Program and guidance from their school nutrition team, School City of Hammond were able to provide an additional 64,550 school breakfasts to students.
And Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation worked with Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Hospital to increase breakfast participation by launching a grab-and-go breakfast program in some of their schools that allows students to take their meals to the classroom — after three months of implementation, Participation in the school breakfast program increased from 31% to 51%.
It’s like USDA FNS Midwest Regional Administrator Dr. Vista Fletcher says: “A healthy school breakfast is a great way for our youth to start their school day for energy and academic success — and we’re thankful to our child nutrition partners such as Indiana No Kid Hungry and the State of Indiana who are helping to provide healthy well-balanced meals to youth across Indiana.”
This March, as we celebrate National Nutrition Month, we’re grateful for all those working to provide nutritious school breakfasts and other healthy school meals to kids throughout Indiana. Feeding kids today is one of the best ways we can ensure they’re ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow — whatever they may be.
Tarrah Westercamp
Indiana School Manager, No Kid Hungry
