Research has shown that proper nutrition is an important part of the learning process. According to the Centers for Disease Control, schools play an important part in teaching students healthy eating habits.
As part of The Weld Trust’s key funding initiative, food security, grants were awarded to the Success Foundation Serving Greeley-Evans Schools and Aims Community College. These organizations are offering programs to provide their students with nutritious snacks and meals.
The Success Foundation is providing two food security programs to students in District 6. The first program expands a current fresh fruit and vegetable program offered to elementary students by the Colorado Department of Education. The Success Foundation’s program expands its offering of these healthy snacks to include 6th – 8th grade students at Bella Romero, Salida Del Sol, and Winograd where the elementary students are already receiving this program. Healthy snacks are accompanied by nutritional education.
The second program provided by the Success Foundation is to establish food pantries at all traditional and charter schools in the Greeley-Evans school district over the next three years. Students and their families will have access to healthy foods through these pantries. The grant from The Weld Trust will help purchase equipment and some initial food costs for the pantries.
Aims Community College has also established food pantries on their campuses to ensure their students are food secure. The Weld Trust awarded a matching grant with the college for the purchase of nutritious food to stock the food pantries on the Weld County campuses.
The Weld Trust grants support these programs which address an immediate food need, as well as encourage healthier school environments for students who may not otherwise have access to these healthy food options.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/features/eating_healthier.htm
