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Blog Action Day: Feed Impoverished Children Healthy Food with Farm to School Programs

blog action day on povertyI work in a school district where over 75% of the children are on the free and reduced lunch program. To be eligible for such a program, family income must fall below 130 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines for free meals, or family income must fall between 130 and at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines for a reduced price meal.  The current Federal Poverty Guideline is $21,200 for a family of four.  Most of the children on this program eat both breakfast and lunch at school. Unfortunately, the nutritional quality of these meals is poor, as they are packed with processed foods.

Malnutrition is usually a consequence of poverty. Farm to School programs have the ability to combat this negative effect of poverty by providing children two healthy meals a day from a local farm:

Farm to School brings healthy food from local farms to school children nationwide. The program teaches students about the path from farm to fork, and instills healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. At the same time, use of local produce in school meals and educational activities provides a new direct market for farmers in the area and mitigates environmental impacts of transporting food long distances.

More than 30 million children eat a school lunch five days a week, 180 days a year. If school lunch can taste great, and support the local community, it is a win-win for everyone.

According to the World Bank:

Because having good health condition is important precondition for escaping poverty and because improved health and sanitation contribute to growth, investment in people’s health and nutrition status is fundamental to improving a country’s general welfare, promoting economic growth, and reducing poverty.

Using Farm to School programs to improve the nutritional quality of meals in our schools will give children living in poverty a greater chance escaping these living conditions as adults.

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Comments

  1. Jamie Ervin says

    October 15, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    I love Farm to School programs. Our local school doesn’t participate (yet) which is one of the many reasons my children take cold lunches in their laptop lunch boxes everyday!

    Reply
  2. Amber says

    October 15, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    Wow, I was just talking to my husband last week about starting something like that! Great to hear they already have it.

    Reply
  3. ooopinionsss says

    December 2, 2008 at 6:49 pm

    How you think when the economic crisis will end? I wish to make statistics of independent opinions!

    Reply
  4. Naveen says

    December 17, 2008 at 4:22 am

    I know one NGO in India which is doing almost similar work. I think they are feeding almost 1 million underprivileged children everyday, through out the country.

    I think we all have to support them for the work they are doing for those who are in need.If you want to know more about them log on to http://www.akshayapatra.org.
    Support them its our social Responsibility.

    Reply

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About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

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