Feeding the Body and Mind

Food insecurity is an issue in Boone County, especially during the summer months when school is not in session. There are more than 2,300 sites in Kentucky providing almost 2.8 million breakfasts, lunches and snacks to Kentucky children annually through the Summer Food Service Program for Children (SFSP). Beginning in June, the Boone County Nutrition Assistant partnered with the Boone County Public Library to assist in a weekly free dinner for families in The Greens of Turfway community. Families combined a balanced meal with library services and materials available for check out to keep the children reading through the summer. At the feeding site, the assistant taught a series of adult classes using the “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum. By August, two participants, Jennifer T. and Teresa identified ways to add more physical activity in their daily routines. They used the reinforcement pedometers to track and calculate their progress, meeting their goal of 10,000 steps daily. Jennifer extended her routine to walking with her children in the evenings. WebNeers data indicates 100% of the group exercise at least 30 minutes more now after completing the series. Teresa stated, “The handouts and information given at this program has helped me make better choices with my grocery money, and I realized how to feed us better too.”

https://education.ky.gov/federal/SCN/Pages/Summer-Food-Service-Program-(SFSP).aspx