Free Dinners for D.C. Public School Children

Photo source: LA Times

We at the Organic School Project see that there are two main defects in the current system of feeding our nation’s kids: one being that far too many children consume processed, sugary, and generally unhealthy foods when they’re at school for lunch, and the other being that this may be the only meal that some children get all day. Needless to say, the two are very related, and both play a leading role in the childhood obesity epidemic that our country is currently facing.

One program implemented by the Washington D.C. public school system is taking a step to combat this epidemic. As reported by the Washington Post, some of the schools in our nation’s capital have begun offering free, healthy, locally sourced dinners to as many as 10,000 students.

The program was started for two main reasons: 1. Many kids staying after school for programs or activities remained at school well into the evening, missing what would normally be considered “dinnertime,” and 2. some children were simply not eating dinner at home. Due in part to the most recent recession, many families are unable to provide dinner, forcing many kids to eat their one and only meal of the day while at school.

Though the program does cost the school district an additional $5.7 million dollars, we must keep in mind that this is not money going down the drain; it is an investment in our nation’s future. And to us, the dollar amount becomes a minor detail when it means the difference between promoting nourishing versus detrimental eating habits, don’t you think?

The “Great American Salad Bar Project”

Photo source: Food Share

A recent article from environmental news source, Grist, discussed the launching of the “Great American Salad Bar Project,” and we at the Organic School Project like what we’re reading!

Along with many political and social other factors weighing on them, many public schools cannot afford the maintenance that school kitchens require, forcing them to shut down fully-equipped kitchens to replace them with heat-and-serve style facilities. This, as we are well aware, leads the to processed, poor-nutritional quality lunches for our nation’s kids, fostering anything but a healthy lifestyle and approach to food.

The project, launched by Ann Cooper, seeks to raise this money with help from partnering companies, the first of which is Whole Foods. By raising money donated from its customers at the checkout line, Whole Foods has raised $1.4 million, which will translate into 300 salad bars being set up in schools nationwide by the Salad Bar Project.

But the job does not end there: schools awarded these salad bars will not be given the funds to fill them with fresh produce. Instead, the program will provide the actual salad bar, as well as training for administrators and cafeteria staff, so that they can be better prepared to apply for grants and learn how to successfully run a salad bar, respectively.

Take a look at the full story from Grist here, the program’s website, and be sure to look out for the “Great American Salad Bar Project” next time you’re at the store—helping to bring better food to our schools is getting more convenient by the day!

Get the Scoop on Stuff

Have you heard about or watched the “Story of Stuff?”

If not, you’re about to.

The Story of Stuff project was created by Annie Leonard, an author that supports sustainability and is against excessive consumerism because of the effects. “Annie is fiercely dedicated to reclaiming and transforming our industrial and economic systems so they serve, rather than undermine, ecological sustainability and social equity,” says her bio.

The “Story of Stuff” video addresses and explains the life cycle of the materials we acquire in our lives. It’s eye opening because we don’t see how things are made or what happens to those things after we throw them in the trash; we just see them in the store, in our homes, and then out the door. There is way more to know about our things!

In a collaboration with Leonard and WGBH, the Boston division of PBS, they have created similar videos, Loop Scoops, for kids! Now kids can learn about the things they have and the impacts on the environment.

In the News: Banning Soda Purchases From NY Food Stamp Program

Photo Source: http://www.aheadofthecurveatmidlife.com/2010/03/03/soft-drinks-americas-other-drinking-problem/

As many of you have most likely been reading, a hot topic in the news this month has been surrounding NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to exclude soda and sugary drinks from the state’s list of food stamp-eligible purchases. There are plenty of opinions both for and against the ban as it relates to barring an individual’s purchasing power, the right of the individual to make decisions, etc., but what does this proposal really imply in regards to the future of our nation’s health initiatives?

We at The Organic School Project see this proposal as a great step in the right direction toward promoting better health among our citizens, especially for our children. While sodas and sugary drinks used to be reserved for only certain occasions, these beverages are now being consumed by our nation’s kids in alarming amounts, bringing with it ever-increasing cases of childhood obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay.

Currently, the nation’s food stamp program bans the use of its funds from a number of purchases, such as cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, and certain prepared foods items. By the looks of this list, it’s clear that the program seeks to prevent its participants from making unhealthy purchases, of which sodas and sugary drinks most definitely qualify.

Recognized as a major contributor to both adult and childhood cases of obesity and diabetes, should the purchase and consumption of these drinks (oftentimes cheaper to buy than water!) be regulated similarly to the purchase of tobacco and alcoholic beverages? What do you think?

National School Lunches Week

As some of you may have been aware, the week before last was national school lunches week! While there were many great events promoting healthy food in schools all last week, there are tons of great resources available to learn about, promote, and support healthy lunches in schools, every week of the year!

A great website by the School Nutrition Association where kids can learn healthy eating tips, and ways to ensure they’re eating a balanced meal: http://www.whatsonyourtray.org/

Check out Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign website, as it is a great source for news and updates on the campaign’s progress: http://www.letsmove.gov/

Read up on the USDA’s program to promote physical activities in schools, healthy foods, and overall wellness in children: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthierus/index.html

Healthy Schools Campaign has a program of their own where they do the same promotion of healthy activities, food, and wellness for children in the Chicago Public School system: http://www.goforthegoldcps.org/

Again, we thank HSC for putting together this great list of resources, and we love being reminded of what great company we’re in to combat childhood obesity!