With one in six Central Florida kids living in a food-insecure household, nutrition is of utmost importance.
“For a lot of the students that we serve, the only meals that they’re getting in a day are at school,” explains Briana Rebello, school partnerships programs manager for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Watch the video below to see how Second Harvest’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 farmer’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.
“Unfortunately, some of our kids don’t have the greatest of circumstances,” says Mark Petrick, a teacher at East River High School who oversees the on-campus school market. “I know as long as we’re here, they’re getting some of the things they need.”
Thanks to you, it’s not just about providing empty calories, it’s about providing healthier options and fueling student success.
