Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation Supports the PowerSnack Program at CGD High School
posted on Sunday, November 17, 2019
“The first year we received these coupons, I thought it was too good to be true,” chuckled Erin Halverson, R.N. and At-Risk Services Coordinator at CGD High School. “It was exciting that there were no income guidelines, so we had the ability to offer all of our students help in a time of need. We really appreciate the generosity of Iowa Select Farms.”
Erin is referencing Power Snack—a program of Iowa Select Farms and the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation that aims to provide kids access to nutritious food at home. Now in its seventh year, Power Snack reaches 22,751 children statewide.
Yesterday, Iowa Select Farms employees delivered 1,200 Power Snack booklets containing a $5 coupon for a pound of deli ham and $3 coupon for a loaf of whole wheat bread. New this year, schools also receive pork sticks, a protein-packed snack to help curb hunger in emergency situations.
“Protein is especially important in the diets of high schoolers because they are reaching and surpassing puberty,” explained Halverson. “They are also building muscle mass and growing at very fast rates; they’re difficult to keep up with!”
At CGD High School, Halverson works closely with teachers and coaches to identify students in need.
“We intend to use the coupons for students in both chronic and situational conditions,” she said. “We have distributed to coaches to give to athletes they see going without a packed meal for events, hand them out prior to extended breaks from school and in the summer, we partner with our school lunch program to use the coupons. We get a lot of use out of them.”
300 students at CGD High School will receive Power Snack coupons and pork sticks—a donation valued at $9,600 and enough resources to make 14,400 ham sandwich “Power Snacks”.
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