Stories of Hope

Food is Learning: How an Emphasis on Child Nutrition is Fueling a Brighter Future

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With one in six Central Florida kids living in a food-insecure household, nutrition is of utmost importance.

โ€œFor a lot of the students that we serve, the only meals that theyโ€™re getting in a day are at school,โ€ explains Briana Rebello, school partnerships programs manager for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

Watch the video below to see how Second Harvestโ€™s childhood nutrition programs complement school-provided breakfast and lunch programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food and meals essential to their growth, learning and well-being.

Three strategies help ensure kids have access to a variety of healthy meals and groceries year-round.

  • School Partnerships offer a welcoming environment for all students, no questions asked, in on-campus school markets and/or monthly farmerโ€™s market-style fresh produce distributions.
  • Kids Cafes serve meals to students at participating after-school program sites.
  • Second Harvest supports the Summer BreakSpot Program to distribute nutritious, kid-friendly meals and snacks when schools close for summer break.

โ€œUnfortunately, some of our kids donโ€™t have the greatest of circumstances,โ€ says Mark Petrick, a teacher at East River High School who oversees the on-campus school market. โ€œI know as long as weโ€™re here, theyโ€™re getting some of the things they need.โ€

Thanks to you, itโ€™s not just about providing empty calories, itโ€™s about providing healthier options and fueling student success.

One in six Central Florida kids faces hunger.

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