Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation

Guest Blog post by our Child Nutrition Advocate, Amanda Caron
This post is part of our month-long blog series in celebration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' "National Nutrition Month." This year's theme is, "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day," so each of us here at Hunger Free Vermont will take a turn to share a personal goal, story or fact regarding nutrition through daily blog posts throughout the month.
40% of Vermont students receive free or reduced-price school meals from September to June. But what happens when school closes for the summer? As the Summer Food Advocate at Hunger Free Vermont, I’m fond of reminding people that “hunger doesn’t take a vacation.” Fortunately, free meals were available to kids at 137 sites across Vermont last summer through the USDA’s Summer Food Programs. Reliable, healthy nutrition is only one of the things kids might be missing in the summer, however. School provides structure and a safe place, the chance to be with friends, opportunities to exercise and play outside – not all children can count on these things in the summer. More and more research shows that the summer months are when many low-income children are at risk for falling behind, nutritionally and academically. For this reason, we like to promote quality summer meal programs in tandem with fun enrichment activities. Our Community Cares Camp in Richmond Vermont does a great job of meeting the needs of kids in the vulnerable summer months by providing great food, a unique social experience, and creative activities. Watch their PSA below for an inspirational look at how food, fun, and learning go hand-in-hand in the summer. What’s available for kids in your community this summer?

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