Each month, our staff reads hundreds of media reports on the subject of school nutrition. We curate our favorites in a monthly blog post we call, “In the News.” Highlighting positive stories about the great things going on in school cafeterias helps us in many ways: providing inspiration, connecting school nutrition professionals from across the country, and promoting those programs and individuals who are taking the extra step to make their school nutrition program the very best it can be
SNA Participates in #GivingTuesday to Benefit SNF Annual Fund
Celebrated annually on December 2, #GivingTuesday is a response to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday movements—a global effort to shift public attention to the power of giving, to focus on sharing rather than consumer-driven holiday shopping. SNA has extended the fundraising period for the School Nutrition Foundation’s Annual Fund through the end of this year—December 31, 2014—and we are inviting everyone to participate in #GivingTuesday to help our school nutrition colleagues pursue education and advancement through scholarships. Learn more about how you can participate in #GivingTuesday and donate to SNF’s Annual Fund.
Giving Thanks
It’s so important to be thankful for what we have, and to give back when we can. Each year, Beyond Breakfast posts a list of resources for Thanksgiving hunger assistance because as we all know, hunger does not take a holiday. You’ll find our 2014 list of Thanksgiving resources here. The staff of the School Nutrition Foundation is wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.
Getting Inspired
One thing we’re grateful for this holiday season is inspiration! Getting inspired can turn a bad day around; it can change a life in just an instant. We’ve been saving these stories all month to share with you, just in time for Thanksgiving.
- In Midland, Texas, Mary Thompson has been hired as district director of education, health, and wellness. Thompson will be leading the way for adult employees through an employee wellness program. Prior to her current role, Thompson was a physical education teacher at Fannin Elementary, where she led the district’s pilot campus for Fuel Up to Play 60, which she is now planning to take district-wide. We love Mary’s commitment to helping everyone from students to adults improve their healthy habits.
- Speaking of Fuel Up to Play 60, we love the way the St. Louis Rams have taken the ball and run with it! The team has hired a community outreach and player involvement manager named Nicole Woodie whose commitment to giving back to the fans has led to an expansion of outreach from the players and the franchise. One of these expansions includes growing the Fuel Up to Play 60 and Play 60 programming, including the first ever dedicated NFL Play 60 bus—the Rams are the first team to take such a step, and one that Woodie hopes will make the program even more fun and interactive for kids.
- We love it when students take initiative and lead the way with their peers, so it’s no surprise that this school breakfast story out of Cincinnati caught our eye! Sycamore Junior High student Claire Janssen was instrumental in setting up ‘Second Chance Breakfast’ at her school, as well as becoming a Fuel Up to Play 60 student ambassador and pursuing a $30,000 grant. Though Janssen did not receive the grant, FUTP60 funds were used to purchase equipment for the second chance breakfast program—which they named ‘Claire’s Corner Café’ in her honor.
- Finally, we are so impressed with the student leadership displayed by Alexis VanDenHoek, a middle school student who is encouraging her peers to adopt healthier food and exercise habits; the Student Ambassador also served as state ambassador last year, and continues to inspire her classmates on a daily basis through her healthy example.