I recently read about some programs that have added a new strategy for helping children who experience chronic hunger. In addition to the school breakfast and lunch programs, some schools have started sending home backpacks of food over the weekends so that children don't have to go without food from friday lunch to monday breakfast. They include food that doesn't need to be refrigerated or cooked, and seem mostly to consist of things like individual cans of fruit and cereal bars.
As you might expect this food not only helps with hunger and improved health but also with academics and self-esteem. In thinking about how community garden anti-hunger programs might help with this, it seems to me that cherry tomatoes, washed and protected in plastic containers might be a good addition from August when school starts back to as long as tomatoes continue to produce in the area. In addition to garden volunteers in community gardens or school gardens, there would probably need to also be some parent volunteers who washed the reusable containers and the tomatoes each week unless the number of children in a particular school needing the service was small enough that the cafeteria staff could handle the additional work. Some other things that might work unrefrigerated for three days: Small cucumbers Clean unpeeled carrots with a bit of stem Clean radishes with a bit of stem Apples Roasted and salted peanuts or sunflower seeds Small bunches of grapes protected in a plastic container White whole wheat raisin nut bread in a plastic container and packed at top of book bag Small jars of school canned jam/jelly--so whole jar could be eaten in a weekend. (may need to pack in bubble wrap in plastic container. Jars could be reused with new lids) Additionally for children in summer school: Cherries in a plastic container What else might work? Sharon [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
