It doesn't have to be this way for our kids. We can help every child start the day with a good breakfast, keep them going with a nutritious lunch, and have snacks on hand when they need a boost.
At a recent school board meeting, Project GRACE awarded the Scarborough School Nutrition Program a $2,500 grant for milk and snacks, breakfasts and lunches, and second helpings, for students whose families are struggling.
"We're picking up the lunch tab for our neighbors who want to provide healthy meals for their kids, but can't because of set backs like loss of work, illness, or other circumstances that make it difficult to make ends meet," says Project GRACE's Board President, Bert Follansbee. "There is an abundance of good food available, and no child should have to go hungry. It's unconscionable. Fortunately, our partnership with the schools and the generous support of our donors makes it possible for us to work together to respond with discretion and compassion."
Families in any neighborhood can be hit hard by life events that can cause a family to temporarily fall behind on their bills and have to choose between paying for rent or heat and putting nutritious food on the table.
With the support of community volunteers and groups, School Nutrition's 'backpack program' gives boxes of staple foods to struggling families so they can feed their kids during school breaks and long holiday weekends.That's when kids are most likely to miss meals at home because the cupboards are quite literally bare. School Nutrition Director, Peter Esposito, is working on adding more fresh foods to the boxes, and Project GRACE contributes by supplying fresh fruit like apples, oranges and bananas.
Our community's generous investment in Project GRACE allows us to meet basic needs for kids in our schools so that teachers and students can focus on learning and preparing for a bright future.