Friday, March 29, 2024

September slated as hunger action month

Dallas ISD Food and Child Nutrition Services address childhood hunger while providing healthy meals.
Dallas ISD Food and Child Nutrition Services address childhood hunger while providing healthy meals.

September is Hunger Action Month, and across the nation, organizations and nutrition advocates are working together to bring awareness to the critical issue of hunger. During this month, communities are encouraged to sport the color orange to show support for hunger issues in hopes of mobilizing everyone to take action to combat hunger.

Students at Dallas ISD’s Esperanza “Hope” Medrano Elementary School pitched in to help the awareness effort by participating as a site for the giant B&G letters which are part of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau “BIG” campaign. The human-sized letters are scattered throughout the city and have been painted orange in honor of the hunger campaign.

Dallas ISD’s Food and Child Nutrition Services (FCNS) continues to do its part by providing healthy meals for all students and leading the charge to end childhood hunger through specific programs.

“Our mission is to provide nutrition that fuels successful learning for all Dallas ISD students. A hungry child cannot learn,” said Dora Rivas, executive director, Dallas ISD Food and Child Nutrition Services. “This year, we have stepped up our efforts to ensure every Dallas ISD student has the opportunity to begin and end their school day well-nourished and ready to handle the academic challenges of a school day.”

In the North Texas area, 1 in 4 children struggle with hunger. In Dallas ISD alone, 9 in 10 students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which speaks to the need to aggressively combat the issue.

Esperanza “Hope” Medrano Elementary student Kenny Ka puts the “I” in BIG.
Esperanza “Hope” Medrano Elementary student Kenny Ka puts the “I” in BIG.

With the goal of having all eligible students complete meal applications by October, FCNS kicked off the school year with an aggressive campaign to increase awareness about school meal

programs available to families. The department also made it easier for families to apply for free and reduced-price meals for their children via online or at each school. At this year’s Mayor’s Back to School Fair, FCNS helped more than 400 district families complete applications for their children.

Programs like the district’s nationally recognized Breakfast in the Classroom ensure that Dallas students receive the nutrition they need to be successful at school. Through the program, elementary students have the opportunity to start their day with breakfast, provided at no cost. FCNS estimates that more than 5 million additional school breakfasts will be served in Dallas ISD during the 2013-14 school year compared to last year.

Other programs being launched by FCNS this fall include the afterschool Supper program and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

The Supper program will provide supper in approximately 30 schools, free of charge to all students participating in after school educational or enrichment activities. Many students stay on campus after the school day ends and find little to eat when they get home.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, being offered in 87 elementary schools, will provide a healthy snack 2 to 4 times a week. The program introduces students to a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that they might otherwise not have the opportunity to try and teaches students about healthy eating habits.

For more information about Dallas ISD Food and Child Nutrition Services, or to complete a meal application, visit http://www.dallasisd.org//Domain/103#sthash.YbWexaOi.dpbs.

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