posted on Thursday, October 29, 2020
Onto Conrad where we met up with Kristin Houston, counselor at
BCLUW Community Schools, and delivered 300 Power Snack coupons + 200 Pork Sticks for local students in-need.
“I have had several students and parents/guardians comment on what a great thing it is to have these Power Snack coupons,” said Kristin. “They provide something healthy and easy for the families to have on-hand at home.”
With one in seven Iowa children facing food insecurity, Iowa Select Farms and the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation are fighting back with 1,000,000 ham sandwiches, 20,000 pork sticks and educational resources for teachers. These nutritious, protein-packed goodies are through the Foundation’s Power Snack program, which has been helping food-insecure Iowa children for eight years.
“Protein is important because it helps keep students full longer so they aren’t hungry in between meals,” continued Kristin. “Kids need protein in order to stay balanced at to help build strong bodies and brains.”
Four times throughout the school year, 60 students at BCLUW will receive a Power Snack coupon booklet. Each booklet contains a $5 coupon for deli ham and $3 coupon for a loaf of whole wheat bread. Combining the energy and carbohydrates of whole wheat bread with the protein of ham means the children will have made themselves a real Power Snack.
Last year, we introduced Pork Sticks to help alleviate emergency hunger situations.
“I definitely see that students who don’t eat breakfast show more signs and symptoms of hunger,” explained Kristin. “Whether it’s a stomach ache that sends them to the nurse or bigger problems that send them to me or the Principal, these things all effect learning because they are missing out on lessons in the classroom.”
In total, 550 students in Grundy County will receive Power Snack deli ham and whole wheat bread coupons—enough resources to make 26,400 wholesome meals at-home.
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