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Summer Meals for Kids in El Dorado

Judie Storandt Kids Need To Eat, Inc.

March 20, 2013

Whos Judie Storandt?

Wife, mother, grandmother. El Dorado resident (bought house in 2011). In the past, founded non-profit in New Orleans and small business in Indiana. Consulted nationally on disability issues affecting children. Author of Community Grace blog: El Dorado Times online. Volunteer work has included: BHI, C.A.N. & church. Founder of Kids Need To Eat, Inc. (KN2E)
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Why kids need to eat?

Hunger is a public health issue that affects us all.
Food insecurity not enough food for a healthy life.

Children need nutritious meals for the healthy development of their bodies, brains and behavior. Hunger interferes with a childs ability to behave and learn. It can permanently affect a childs brain.
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Who are the hungry kids in our community?

Kansas has 7th highest percentage of residents cutting back on food (quantity & quality), or skipping meals entirely.

Butler County: 1 out of 5 children

USD 490: >58% receive free/reduced rate meals (9/20)

Homeless students.* 33 USD 490 students at some point last school year (closer to 150 in BU County)
Others dont attend school, or hide their homelessness.
*Students who lack a regular, fixed, and adequate night time residence
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Why so many hungry children?

Nearly a third of working families earn wages too low to pay for basic necessities.
Many households live one crisis away from poverty.
the death or disability of the primary bread winner a cut in work hours, a job loss, or loss of transportation wages garnished for medical and other bills

Shortage of unskilled jobs / shortage of skilled workers. Parental ignorance, neglect, maltreatment.
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KIDS NEED TO EAT, Inc. (KN2E)

Goals
Raise awareness about food insecurity issues in our community, and Assist in finding solutions in collaboration with community partners. Mission & vision statements: http://kidsneedtoeat.org/
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El Dorado LunchBox: Summer Meals for Kids

A partnership between:
El Dorado School District (USD 490) Kansas Food Bank Kids Need To Eat, Inc. We will distribute 4000 free lunch sacks to children under age 18 in El Dorado this summer.
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Summer Meals For Kids #1

June (4 weeks): Monday Thursday
USD 490: free breakfast & lunch for all children attending its Summer Academy (K-12) at Skelly School, 8am noon. Summer Academy registration deadline: May 3.

USD 490 shuttle bus for elementary school children from other schools to and from Skelly.

Summer Meals For Kids #2

July 1 - August 8: Monday - Thursday, noontime
Free lunch sacks for children who pick them up at Skelly. Thursdays: children take home extra lunches for weekend. Lunch sacks provided by Kansas Food Bank. Shuttle bus transportation

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Need-Based Weekend Foodpacks

June 6 - August 8 (10 weekends) Need-Based Weekend Foodpacks
For children in the neediest families. Based on referrals from child serving programs. Thursdays at Skelly & child-serving programs. KN2E accepting referrals during May.
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Summer Meals For Kids #3

Summer Meals For Kids #4 Supplemental Foods

Extra foods offered with the lunch sacks and included in Weekend Foodpacks.
First Baptist Church: collecting shelf-stable foods. Numana Community Gardens: providing fresh produce. Numana, Inc.: 375 meal packages (6 meals/package)

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Summer Meals For Kids #5 Teen Work Project

Who: ages 14 & 15 What: Hire, pay, train, supervise and mentor teens. To assist 2 -3 hours a day, four days a week. Includes mandatory training on work skills. Why: Help teens to learn & practice work skills and habits develop a work ethic and self-confidence develop team, leadership & customer service skills appreciate the value of community service
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Why El Dorado LunchBox? Because hunger doesnt take a vacation.

See our flyer for ways you might help.

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How to support this project?

Pray for children and families living with food insecurity in our community. Pray for guidance as we and our community seek to meet this need. Spread the word about free lunches for kids: flyers available around April 15. Encourage families to register children for the Summer Academy. Contact KN2E to arrange for a presentation. Let KN2E know if you want to volunteer this summer.
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How to support EDL? (contd)

Donate supplies: plastic grocery bags, lawn signs, paper towels, plastic gloves, hair nets, name tags, etc. Let KN2E know about anyone who might assist with the Teen Work Program. Join KN2Es Board of Directors or serve as mentor/advisor: Board meets Sat., March 23, 10am noon in the Library. Donate / assist us in raising $10,000 for 4000 lunches. Be a community supporter (no donation required) on the El Dorado LunchBox website.
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Want to buy a kid lunch today?

For only $2.50 you can provide a summer lunch for an El Dorado child: $25 = 10 lunches $50 = 20 lunches $100 = 40 $250 = 100

Send checks payable to the Kansas Food Bank designating El Dorado LunchBox on memo line.
Pay by credit card online: www.kansasfoodbank.org -- scroll down to El Dorado LunchBox logo under Our Programs in middle of webpage.
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And All of Gods Children Said Amen!

Help us, Lord, to feed all of your hungry children so their brains and bodies have the nutrition needed to develop into the productive adults that you created them to be.

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