Month: December 2018

Our weekend food sacks are healthy and follow the USDA daily plate nutritional menu items.  Title One children receive breakfast, lunch and sometimes after school snacks Monday to Friday. It is real hunger needs for too many students we are reducing. We provide shelf stable foods, produce and snacks. We occasionally provide dairy items .  

Weekly menu in a weekend food sack:

Orange juice, crackers,rice,green beans,fruit cocktail,tomatoes,chili.

Mac and Cheese,pinto beans,pineapple,soup,peanut butter,crackers,orange juice,tomatoes.

Jelly,spaghetti sauce, spaghetti, shake, creme of mushroom soup,diced tomatoes,peas.

Corn or carrots,oranges,tomato soup,diced tomatoes,peanut butter,mac and cheese, toaster pastries.

We do provide some weeks up to 30 percent organic items. We do provide fresh produce and dairy products to a portion of our schools.

We provide snack bags that are healthy only by request of healthy schools Jeffco.

When a child does not have access to regular meals and is uncertain of when they may eat again, they are experiencing the epidemic known as “chronic childhood hunger.” Families that cannot afford food or do not have regular access to food are considered “food insecure.”

Since 2001-2003, the number of children living in households that were “food insecure” at some point during the year has grown 61 percent in Colorado. By 2006-2008,approximately 234,000 children  or 20 percent of all Colorado kids were “food insecure”. This percentage has recently surpassed the national rate of 19 percent.

Kids experiencing chronic hunger may not only suffer from poor health, but they can also be denied the opportunity to reach their academic, athletic and social potential. Chronically hungry students may have the following issues in the classroom:

• Lack of concentration
• Lethargy or general fatigue
• Stomachaches
• Headaches
• Irritability or mood swings
• Disciplinary problems
• Increased aggression

Recent studies from the American Academy of Pediatrics have shown that the effects of chronic childhood hunger can last a lifetime. Kids not knowing when they may have another meal can cause both anxiety and depression.

Hunger and Poverty in our Community

Hunger and poverty go hand in hand, which is why it is useful to use poverty statistics as a base for hunger statistics.

Chronic childhood hunger exists both above and below the poverty line, as the Federal guidelines for poverty are considered out of date.

• To be considered 100% of poverty, a family of four must earn less than $23,050 per year.
• To be eligible for free/reduced lunch, a family must be at 130% of the federal poverty line or earn less than $40,793 per year.
• To be eligible for free/reduced lunch, a family must earn less than 185% of the federal poverty line or $28,665 per year.

In Colorado, 17% of kids live in poverty

The number of children in poverty has more than doubled since 2000 and the number of children living in extreme poverty (approximately $11,000 for a family of four) has increased 150 percent.

While the childhood poverty rate in Colorado currently remains below the national average, between 2000 and 2009 the number of children living in poverty in Colorado more than doubled, rising faster than any other state in the nation.

School Meal Programs

In Colorado, there has been a steady increase in the number of children participating in the School Breakfast Program. The U.S. increased four percent in the number of children served by the free breakfast program since 2008, while the number of Colorado children increased more than twice as fast with a nine percent increase over the same period.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, more than 54,000 additional children participated in the National School Lunch Program in Colorado in 2009 than in 2005.

In Jefferson County, there are over 27,000 children who are eligible for free and or reduced lunch programs.  

+Data compiled from the Kids Count Colorado 2011 Report

How are Title 1 Funds Used?

How to use Title 1 funds rests with each school. Title 1 funds can be used to improve curriculum, instructional activities, counseling, parental involvement, increase staff and program improvement. The funding should assist schools in meeting the educational goals of low-income students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, Title 1 funds typically support supplemental instruction in reading and math. Annually, this program reaches over six million students, primarily in the elementary grades.

Types of students that might be served by Title 1 funds include migrant students, students with limited English proficiency, homeless students, students with disabilities, neglected students, delinquent students, at-risk students or any student in need. Students can be classified as at-risk for numerous reasons. A few reasons they might be classified as at-risk students include: low academic performance, being held back a grade for one or more years, or being homeless. There are other criteria that may place students in an at-risk category as well.

Understanding the Basics of Title 1 Funds

written by: Sarah Malburg • edited by: Trent Lorcher • updated: 7/31/2015

Title 1 funds aim to bridge the gap between low-income students and other students. The U.S. Department of Education provides supplemental funding to local school districts to meet the needs of at-risk and low-income students.

• What’s it All About? Most educators, parents and community members have heard the term Title 1 School thrown loosely around, but what is it? Title 1 is the nation’s oldest and largest federally funded program, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Annually, it provides over $14 billion to school systems across the country for students at risk of failure and living at or near poverty. In fact, over the course of the 2009-2010 school year, federal funding through this program was used by over 56,000 public schools nationwide in order for struggling students to meet state standards in a variety of subject areas. Originally, the idea of Title 1 was enacted in 1965 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This policy committed to closing the achievement gap between low-income students and other students. The policy was rewritten in 1994 to improve fundamental goals of helping at-risk students. With the implementation of No Child Left Behind, schools must make adequate yearly progress on state testing and focus on best teaching practices in order to continue receiving funds.

The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day.Jun 13, 2017

A student from a household with an income at or below 130 percent of the poverty income threshold is eligible for free lunch. A student from a household with an income between 130 percent and up to 185 percent of the poverty threshold is eligible for reduced price lunch.Apr 16, 2015

In return, they must serve lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price lunches to eligible children. School food authorities can also be reimbursed for snacks served to children through age 18 in after school educational or enrichment programs.

NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH
PROGRAM
1. What is the National School Lunch Program?
The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in over
100,000 public and non‐profit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provided
nutritionally balanced, low‐cost or free lunches to more than 31 million children each school day
in 2012. In 1998, Congress expanded the National School Lunch Program to include
reimbursement for snacks served to children in afterschool educational and enrichment programs
to include children through 18 years of age.
The Food and Nutrition Service administers the program at the Federal level. At the State level,
the National School Lunch Program is usually administered by State education agencies, which
operate the program through agreements with school food authorities.
2. How does the National School Lunch Program work?
Generally, public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or under and public or
nonprofit private residential child care institutions may participate in the school lunch program.
School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the lunch program get cash
subsidies and USDA foods from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each meal they
serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free
or reduced price lunches to eligible children. School food authorities can also be reimbursed for
snacks served to children through age 18 in afterschool educational or enrichment programs.
3. What are the nutritional requirements for school lunches?
School lunchs must meet meal pattern and nutrition standards based on the latest Dietary
Guidelines for Americans. The current meal pattern increases the availability of fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains in the school menu. The meal pattern’s dietary specifications set
specific calorie limits to ensure age-appropriate meals for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Other meal
enhancements include gradual reductions in the sodium content of the meals (sodium targets
must be reached by SY 2014-15, SY 2017-18 and SY 2022-23). While school lunches must meet
Federal meal requirements, decisions about what specific foods to serve and how they are
prepared are made by local school food authorities.
4. How do children qualify for free and reduced price meals?
Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch
Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are
eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty
level are eligible for reduced‐price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40
cents. (For the period July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014, 130 percent of the poverty level is
$30,615 for a family of four; 185 percent is $43,568 .)
Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay a full price, though their
meals are still subsidized to some extent. Local school food authorities set their own prices for
full‐price (paid) meals, but must operate their meal services as non‐profit programs.
Afterschool snacks are provided to children on the same income eligibility basis as school meals.
However, programs that operate in areas where at least 50 percent of students are eligible for free
or reduced‐price meals may serve all their snacks for free.
5. How much reimbursement do schools get?
Most of the support USDA provides to schools in the National School Lunch Program comes in
the form of a cash reimbursement for each meal served. The current (July 1, 2014 through June
30, 2015) basic cash reimbursement rates if school food authorities served less than 60% free and
reduced price lunches during the second preceding school year are:
Free lunches: Reduced-price lunches: Paid lunches:
$2.93 $2.53 $0.28
Free snacks: Reduced-price snacks: Paid snacks:
$0.80 $0.40 $0.07
School food authorities that are certified to be in compliance with the updated meal requirements
will receive an additional six cents of federal cash reimbursement for each meal served. This
bonus will be adjusted for inflation in subsequent years. These above rates exclude the additional
six cents. Higher reimbursement rates are also in effect for Alaska and Hawaii, and for schools
with high percentages of low‐income students.
For the latest reimbursement rates visit FNS website at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/rates-reimbursement

We are so grateful for our grant award from the Community First Foundation this month.Jefferson County was our starting point as we began to serve the community with passion, vision and hard work.

“Our journey began in Jefferson County. In 1975, we were founded as the Lutheran Medical Center Foundation and initially served as the fundraising arm for the hospital on Denver’s west side. Over the years, we have grown and changed to become the community foundation we are today. For example, in 1997, we became a community foundation and transformed into LMC Community Foundation. In 2007, we changed our name to Community First Foundation to reflect our broader mission.  “

This money will directly impact our ability to expand our capacity.  We currently serve eight schools which are Title One.  Our program provides weekly a bag of about seven items to Emory Elementary Lakewood, Lasley Elementary Lakewood, Edgewater Elementary, Mulholm Elementary Lakewood, Foothills Elementary Lakewood, Everitt Middle School Wheat Ridge and Brady High School Lakewood.

We receive our food mainly from our programs with Food Bank of the Rockies. We provide shelf stable healthy foods and produce and other food items.  Our program is 100 per cent about weekend food for those who are at risk for hunger on weekends. 

Our program supports children all year round including summer time. We have a vision and strategy to expand to fill needs of more schools in our specific and targeted geographic areas of Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, and Edgewater.  We started our program because these geographic areas were not being served with a backpack weekend food program.

We have gotten strong feed back from parents that they want more fresh produce and we shall meet that goal.