Hospitals team up to provide healthy breakfast for children
Desert Regional Medical Center and JFK Memorial Hospital are leading a community effort to provide local children with a healthy breakfast during the summer through the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive benefiting FIND Food Bank.
The food drive takes place May 29 – June 5.
“At Desert Regional Medical Center, we recognize access to healthy food can be a challenge for many families in the communities we serve,” said Carolyn Caldwell, chief executive officer. “Our school systems do an incredible job meeting the nutrition needs of children during the school year. We hope that this drive will help those families who may struggle to provide healthy breakfast options in the home during the summer months.”
According to FIND Food Bank, during the 2014-15 school year, the three Coachella Valley school districts served 71,000 students; across all districts, 81% of students – nearly 58,000 children — are eligible for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRPM) based on income qualification.
During summer vacation from school, the vast majority of these 58,000 local, low-income students lose access to Free and Reduced-Price Meals at school, which means tens of thousands of Coachella Valley school-age children experience a seasonal nutritional deficit that leaves them less prepared to return to school in the fall and places an extra burden on their parents to provide needed nutrition when children are not in school.
Information from the school districts indicate that only 4 – 6% of local students have access to Summer Food Service Programming through the school districts to help respond to this seasonal nutritional deficit.
“Food insecurity is a serious problem here in the valley. The latest research from HARC (Health Assessment Research for Communities) estimated that more than half of our children had to go a whole day without eating in the past 12 months. Good nutrition is foundational to good health,” said Gary Honts, JFK’s CEO.
Desert Regional Medical Center and JFK Memorial Hospital are joining Tenet Hospitals around the nation for this year’s “Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive,” which is being conducting in partnership with Feeding America, officials said in a release.
“We’re thrilled that Tenet is elevating the issue of child hunger by hosting a food drive that asks friends and patrons to donate cereal for summer programming for hungry kids,” said FIND Food Bank President and CEO Lisa Houston. “Summer is such a critical time for families struggling to make ends meet – it can take a lot to feed a home full of hungry kids every day. Cereal helps with not only breakfast, but also makes for a kid-friendly snack during the day when kids may be in charge of their own snacks.”
Coordinators said whole-grain cereal, when part of a healthy, balanced breakfast including dairy, fruit and lean protein, is a popular food item that experts say can easily address the hunger gap during the summer months when children are not in school. Healthy cereal contains one serving of whole grain, no more than 200 calories per serving, six grams or less of sugar and at least three grams of fiber per serving. It should also be free of artificial colors and dyes.
If you would like to help, just text ‘FIND’ to 20222 to donate $10 to FIND Food Bank. The one -time donation will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your pre-paid balance.
Coordinators said donations of healthy cereal will also be collected from May 29 through June 5 at the front lobby of either Desert Regional Medical Center or JFK Memorial Hospital.
CALORIES: 200 calories per serving
FIBER: At least 3 grams per serving
SUGAR: Low in sugar (6 grams or less)
EXAMPLES OF HEALTHY CHOICES:
(NOTE: A healthy cereal should also be free of artificial colors and dyes)
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
Kellogg’s Crispix Cereal
General Mills Cheerios
General Mills Kix
General Mills Wheaties
Barbara’s Shredded Wheat
Kashi Honey Sunshine
Quaker Oats
