Kids take their food home
Author: Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer
Every Friday, dozens of San Bernardino City Unified School District students go home with backpacks filled to the brim with bread, crackers, fruit and canned goods.
The children are served by a new program, Kidz Fuel-Snack Pack Program, designed to feed children in the district during the weekends when they're not in school for free or reduced- priced school meals.
"If a child is hungry they won't be learning at school," said Marcelino "Mars" Serna, family involvement officer at the district's Family Resource Center. "So this gives parents, kids and teachers an additional boost."
The children are served by a new program, Kidz Fuel-Snack Pack Program, designed to feed children in the district during the weekends when they're not in school for free or reduced- priced school meals.
"If a child is hungry they won't be learning at school," said Marcelino "Mars" Serna, family involvement officer at the district's Family Resource Center. "So this gives parents, kids and teachers an additional boost."
The center and other groups and agencies, including Helping Hands Ministries, Project Life Impact, Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County, Arrowhead United Way and the city launched the program about a month ago because teachers were seeing children coming to school hungry.
The program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Here's how it works: About 350 students from several district sites go home with a backpack filled with nutritious food on Friday and they return it empty on Monday.
Dottie Podolak, principal of Emmerton Elementary School, where 97 percent of students receive free and reduced-cost lunches, said staff, students and parents are very excited to have the program.
The program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Here's how it works: About 350 students from several district sites go home with a backpack filled with nutritious food on Friday and they return it empty on Monday.
Dottie Podolak, principal of Emmerton Elementary School, where 97 percent of students receive free and reduced-cost lunches, said staff, students and parents are very excited to have the program.
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