meaningful support

How you start your day sets the tone for the rest of your day! School breakfast programs are critical in building a healthier future for America’s children.

Last month, I spent three days in Michigan and while spring weather in the Great Lakes State doesn’t appeal to some, I was excited to make the trip. After all, when I was a student at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), I volunteered at Food Gatherers. So, when asked to speak at their “The State of Our Plate” convening, I said, “Yes!” Some of the people in the room, who were classmates, continuously help federal nutrition programs operate successfully in Washtenaw County through their work to improve food access. I am deeply appreciative for their unwavering service and for showing up for families in need.

Top Box Foods is not a grocery store, farmers market, or food bank. Top Box Foods is a community-driven non-profit, founded in Chicago in 2012, that creates access to healthy and affordable food for the communities they serve. Customers place orders online or via phone for nutritious food which is offered at prices up to 40% lower than grocery stores. Prior to March 2020, Top Box Foods shoppers would pick up their orders at community distribution sites such as churches. However, when the pandemic hit, Top Box Foods replaced the pick-up model with their free home delivery program. Top Box Foods accepts SNAP benefits as payment for orders, making it an essential resource for households looking to make the most of their SNAP dollars to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and more.

When you recognize the food on your plate, you recall memories of sharing meals with loved ones.

It was a sunny fall day in mid-October when I had the honor of visiting the Omaha Nation WIC program. Upon meeting WIC Director Jessika Free-Bass, I visited the Tribe's WIC garden, which they use to grow produce for client nutrition education. For the Omaha Tribe, nutrition education is a community effort.

Oklahoma Tribal Engagement Partners, or OKTEP, collaborates with sovereign tribal nations and tribal organizations throughout Oklahoma to tailor SNAP-Ed programming to meet the needs of Native families. Over time, focus groups have expressed what matters to Natives: the need to be “real.” As organizations look to develop culturally relevant programming, we must step back and listen to what matters to families. We are in an era of change, an era where we are openly called to address inequities in our programming and practices. The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health called nutrition and health professionals to prioritize the role of nutrition and food security in overall health and ensure programs address the nutrition needs of all people.

With a desire to create healthy relationships between American children and food, a group of chefs created Pilot Light in 2010. This program partners with Pre K–12 teachers to make food education a part of everyday classroom lessons. Through holistic food education, students learn about the cultivation and preparation of food and the connection to our culture, relationships, history, and the environment.

Small community-based stores, such as corner stores, are convenient places to shop for simple food items. However, smaller stores often have limited inventory – especially for nutritious options. Cooking Matters Colorado and Rocky Mountain Prevention Research Center’s School Wellness Programs engaged with three corner stores in Denver to pilot a SNAP-Ed campaign designed to improve healthy eating. The campaign focused on step-by-step recipe frameworks and offered supportive, educational, and practical examples for a flexible approach to recipes that better resonate with community members. Recipe frameworks are rooted in the understanding that recipes do not need to be followed exactly but can serve as a general formula to be adjusted according to budget, needs, and preferences.

“Hello, Mommy!”

These are the first warm, welcoming words moms participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, hear when arriving for an appointment at the Mary’s Center (Petworth) WIC Clinic in Northwest D.C. If English isn’t mommy’s primary language – their team happily helps with Spanish, Amharic, French, or Mandarin translation.

As any parent can attest, the ability to get nutritious food on the table fast is key. But when you’re cooking for not just your family but a whole school – efficiency is everything.