When we think of summertime, we often think of children reading a favorite book, family picnics, children splashing in a pool or just hanging out with friends and family. For me, summertime in the Central Valley conjures up images of children who are hungry because they lack access to the school meal program.
I am a registered dietitian and the School Food Service Director for Merced Unified School District. I find it gratifying to provide healthy school meals full of the veggies, fruit, and low-fat dairy products that help children to grow strong. To help solve the Merced summertime childhood hunger problem, our School District Nutrition Program is partnering with the local Women, Infant and Children Program (WIC) and the local 4H programs to offer healthy meals and fun educational, activities to better meet our community needs.
Merced School District Nutrition Program is offering a healthy lunch, including foods from all five food groups, to all children ages 1-18 at ten different locations in the city of Merced. But this year a new pilot educational program is also being offered. In partnership with the local WIC and 4-H programs; fun, nutrition education activities for children will be provided alongside the lunch meals. While MCSD offers children a healthy lunch, WIC and 4-H volunteers will be providing nutrition and garden activities that focus on choosing and growing healthy foods. One of the activities will provide children the opportunity to plant a favorite veggie. In addition, children will be learning the health benefits of eating a variety of foods including vegetables and parents will receive a healthy recipe they can make at home. I hope to expand this pilot project by working with WIC and the local 4-H program to increase the number of Summer Feeding Sites that will provide children a healthy lunch served up with fun nutrition and garden activities.
My hope is that this project will change the image of summertime from hungry children to images of children with nourished bodies and minds.
Terri Soares, Registered Dietitian
School Food Service Director
Merced Unified School District
Terri Soares, MS, RD
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About me:
Terri Soares, MS, RD has been a member of both the Superintendent Jack O'Connell's Task Force on Childhood Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease, CDE and the Advisory Committee on Nutrition Implementation Strategies. She has co-chaired the Nutrition Standards Committee of the CA School Nutrition Association. Ms. Soares' experience includes successful management of School Nutrition Programs in four school districts throughout CA. She has a broad base of experience working with school administrators, educators, school nutrition personnel, and community partners to provide nutrition education to students and create a healthy school environment for the schools and their communities. Currently, she is the School Nutrition Director for Merced City School District. She is currently the president of the Central Valley Dietetic Association and has been an active member of the Central Valley Health and Nutrition Collaborative since its inception in 2002. Terri was the state recipient of the California American Cancer Society Special Recognition Award for Youth in 2007.