Summer meals for kids kick off
LD | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 years, 11 months AGO
Summer vacation means the Summer Food Program is back in gear. The USDA wants to ensure children have easy access to Summer Food Service Program sites across the state. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Summer Food Service Program supports free breakfast, lunch and supper meals, as well as snacks, for hungry children in communities throughout Idaho.
For many children, the end of the school year is the beginning of a summer filled with fun and relaxation but for some children this is a difficult time of year for them to get the nutrition that their bodies need. Many children from low-income families are struggling to put food on the table and this is especially difficult when they no longer have access to school breakfast and lunch programs. In these situations, Summer Food Service Programs (SFSP) can fill a critical nutrition gap.
Hunger does not take a summer vacation. Thanks to a variety of SFSP sponsors, North Idaho children can enjoy healthy meals at schools in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls. In 2010, 66,628 (16.3 percent) of Idaho children were considered food insecure. We are the 33rd highest rate in the country.
Summer meals began this week and many families do not know where the free summer meals for children are served. That's why outreach and awareness are so important. Here are the summer meal sites in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls that are FREE to all children, no applications necessary:
Coeur d'Alene:
Atlas Elementary
Fernan Elementary
Hayden Kindercenter
Project CDA
Post Falls:
Ponderosa Elementary
Post Falls High School
Post Falls Middle School
River City Middle School
While feeding children is the top priority of the Summer Food Service Program, programming is what keeps children coming back. This takes volunteers - and LOTS of them - especially in June, July and August. Volunteers can help with basics like transporting food, setting up or cleaning up a site - they also plan and do educational or recreational activities with the children. Food insecurity affects our most vulnerable Idaho neighbors; supporting Summer Food Service Programs is an important way to help them.
Dr. SeAnne Safaii, Ph.D., RD, LD, is an assistant professor at the University of Idaho.
MORE IMPORTED STORIES
Community sponsors sought for 2025 Summer Food Service Program
Bonners Ferry Herald | Updated 4 weeks ago
Sponsors sought for 2025 Summer Food Service Program
Bonners Ferry Herald | Updated 2 months, 3 weeks ago
ARTICLES BY LD
Coffee, healthy or not?
Whether coffee is healthy for you or not, more than half of Americans over the age 18 are consuming coffee each day. According to the National Coffee Association’s National Coffee Drinking Trends 2015 report, 27 percent households own single-cup brewing machines which is up from 7 percent in 2011. Over the years, coffee has been marketed as having health benefits, but also has been deemed unhealthy by many. You often hear people say they want to quit drinking coffee due to the caffeine content. So, is coffee healthy or not? As a registered dietitian and coffee drinker myself, I want to know what the latest research has to say.
Talk turkey and family health this Thanksgiving
Chronic disease affects many Americans. There are some contributing factors we can control such as nutrition, physical activity, tobacco use, etc.; however, there are also risk factors we cannot control such as age, gender, and family history. Most people have increased risks for chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes because it runs in the family genes. Health conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis can also be passed among relatives. Not only do genes play a factor, but lifestyles, behaviors, and environments, which influence the risk for chronic diseases, are often the same or similar among family members.
Farm-to-table in your own backyard
Fresh salsa
Farm-to-table is a trend that is becoming increasingly popular among U.S. restaurants. What is farm-to-table? It can hold a different meaning depending on how one looks at it. A blanket meaning is the production process from harvest to consumption, and everything in between such as packaging and sales. However, some argue that true farm-to-table is prepared food that comes directly from a farm, or garden, without going through the distribution process. The Garnet Café on Walnut in Coeur d’Alene is one such restaurant which a lot of the food comes from the owners’ farm, McLane Farms, just minutes away.