Addressing food insecurity among New Orleans students

DEFINITIONS  Food Insecurity – Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.  Hunger – The uneasy or painful sensation caused by lack of food. The recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food. Hunger may produce malnutrition over time. Source: Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on our Nation

Child Hunger is an Educational Problem  Hungry children do more poorly in school and have lower academic achievement because they are not well prepared for school and cannot concentrate  Hungry children have more social and behavioral problems because they feel bad, have less energy for complex social interactions, and cannot adapt as effectively to environmental stresses. Source: Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on our Nation THE PROBLEM

 Nationwide, 62% of teachers regularly see students come to school hungry*  Nationwide, 63% of teachers use their own money to buy food for the classroom*  Each year since 2000, Louisiana has ranked 49 th in the U.S. in Child Well-Being**  24% of Louisiana children live in poverty  42% of Louisiana children live in single parent families *Source: Times-Picayune, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009 **Source: State Profiles of Child Well-Being: 2011 Kids Count Data Book, The Annie E. Casey Foundation THE PROBLEM IS HERE

Fuel the Future Foundation seeks to alleviate chronic hunger among school age children in order to enhance academic capacity which is often hindered by food insecurity. THE PURPOSE

Backpacks with nutritious, kid-friendly food are provided to students each Friday afternoon and over school holidays when they do not have access to the school’s breakfast and lunch THE PROGRAM

 1 Milk  2 Juice Boxes  1 Cereal Box  1 Granola Bar  1 Applesauce  1 Fruit Cup  1 Pack of Crackers  1 Pack of Raisins  1 Mac N Cheese Cup  2 Chef Boyardee Meals  1 Vegetable Cup  1 Sweet Snack  1 Salty Snack THE BACKPACK Each pack includes:

 $9/student/week  $162/student/semester THE COST

 Teachers and administrators in local schools are responsible for identifying students they believe do not have access to an adequate amount of food on weekends.  Teachers must submit a referral form that identifies which traits of food insecurity each student exhibits THE PARAMETERS

 Student is identified by teacher as food insecure  Referral form submitted to Fuel the Future  Permission form sent home with student  Wednesday – bag is packed  Thursday – bag is delivered to school  Friday – bag is sent home with student  Monday – student returns empty bag to be refilled for next weekend THE PROCESS

Our desire is to see students who are hindered by food insecurity succeed academically. To this end, FTFF launched the Summit after-school program in September Meeting each Wednesday, Summit will included up to 15 students from Dibert during the first year. THE PROGRESSION

Future goals include:  Providing helps for parents of students in our program  Nutrition Education  Parenting Classes  Employment Helps  Transitional Housing  Implement a summer feeding program THE PROGRESSION

Want to make a different in the lives of children in New Orleans? Visit for details.