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El Dorado LunchBox is a partnership of Kids Need to Eat (KN2E), the Kansas Food Bank, USD 490 ( El Dorado) and others. This Overview describes the particulars of the summer meal that is being organized to replace the free school lunches that children do not have access to during the summer school recess.
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El Dorado LunchBox: Summer Meals for Kids
Overview
(2-21-2013)
Childhood
Hunger in Our
Community
Food insecurity refers to a household’s lack of access to adequate food - bottom line: not enough suitable food to eat.
The childhood food insecurity rate in Kansas is 22.7%. Available data show that Butler County and the City of El Dorado have a similar or higher rate.
USD490 School Meals
Program
Close to 60% of students in the El Dorado School District (USD 490) are eligible for free and reduced price meals - breakfast and lunch -- during the school year (the “School Meals Program”).
Approximately 600 are elementary school students (K-5) and 600 are middle and high school students (6-12).
USD 490 enrollment in the Fall of 2012 was 2043 (K-12).
Food4Kids
Three USD490 elementary schools participate in the Kansas Food Bank’s Food4Kids backpack program that provides free weekend meals for the neediest students during the school year.
Siblings who do not attend school also are eligible.
Summer
Break
During the summer for the 11 weeks when schools are closed, USD 490 students have not had access to school-based meals weekdays or the Food4Kids backpacks on weekends.
This is also true for students who attend Oil Hill Elementary School in El Dorado, which is part of the Circle School District (USD 375).
SNAP
Not everyone eligible for Food Stamps applies for and receives them. It is estimated that only 60% of eligible households participate in this national program. In Kansas, the average monthly benefit is $125 per person.
SNAP benefits do not increase during the summer when children are not in school.
The Food Stamp Program is now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and is administered in Kansas by the Dept. for Families & Children (DCF)
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Kids Need
to Eat (KN2E)
Kids Need to Eat (KN2E) was created to raise awareness about childhood hunger issues and to advocate for solutions. Its non-profit status is pending (see: . www.kidsneedtoeat.org).
Currently, it is focused on developing with community partners a summer meal program in El Dorado, KS: “El Dorado LunchBox:”
KN2E organizing activities include fundraising for sacks lunches and milk to be provided by the Kansas Food Bank (see below for details) in connection with the El Dorado LunchBox program.
El Dorado LunchBox
(EDL)
El Dorado LunchBox: Summer Meals for Kids is a partnership between USD 490 (El Dorado), the Kansas Food Bank, Kids Need to Eat, and other community partners and supporters.
It seeks to provide free summer lunches for children in the El Dorado area during the school summer recess.
USD490’s last day of school is May 24. The new school year begins on August 13 & 14. This spans an 11-week period that includes 12 weekends.
Kansas
Food Bank (KFB)
As a partner in sponsoring the El Dorado LunchBox program this summer, the Kansas Food Bank has agreed to: Accept donations for the lunches to be
provided by El Dorado LunchBox; and Consult with KN2E.
The Food Bank has partnered with other communities for summer lunch programs in Wichita (2011 - present) and in Hutchinson (2012 - present).
The US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program provides funding to communities that offer summer meals in accordance with its rules and regulations. Its reimbursement rates last summer were: $1.95/breakfast $3.39/lunch.
Summer lunches
This summer El Dorado LunchBox plans to distribute sack lunches, called LockerMates, which come in several varieties.
LockerMates are designed to meet federal reimbursement guidelines, do not need to be heated or refrigerated, and have a shelf life up to 6 months or longer.
The Food Bank can purchase LockerMates in pallets of 1536 meals.
Children like eating these lunches.
The Food Bank can obtain each sack lunch with a carton
of milk for $2.50.
USD490 Summer Academy program
June 2013
USD 490 is offering a Summer Academy at Skelly School, grades K - 12 during June.
It is Monday - Thursday, 8am - noon.
Free breakfast and lunch will be served to all students enrolled in the Summer Academy as part of the school program.
The school-based backpack program is not offered during summer months due to USDA regulations.
USD 490 plans to provide transportation from
The Summer Academy is an educational enrichment program open to all children in K-12. In 2012, 150 K-5 students attended (another 43 HS students attended credit-recovery classes), but meals were not provided.
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the other schools and the former Washington School.
PHASE I
June (4 weeks)
EDL
Weekend Foodpacks
During June, USD 490 is serving free breakfast and lunch to all students attending the Summery Academy (S.A.) as part of the school program.
El Dorado LunchBox plans of offer Weekend Foodpacks for kids and their siblings in the neediest households in our community using guidelines similar to the Food4Kids backpack program during the school year.
Weekend Foodpacks will be distributed at Skelly School on Thursdays, noon-12:30 pm.
Eligible children attending the S.A. will take their Foodpacks home from school, along with Foodpacks for siblings in their homes.
Eligible children not attending the S.A., or their parents, can pick up their Foodpacks at Skelly School (approx. noon - 12:30 pm).
USD 490 will send home flyers with students receiving backpacks during the school year, informing parents how to sign up for summer foodpacks.
DL also will accept referrals from other child serving agencies and programs such as Rainbow, Inc.
EDL uses the term “Weekend Foodpack” -- consisting of 3 LockerMates sacks and 3 milk cartons -- instead of “backpack” to avoid confusion with the Food4Kids Backpack program during the school year.
PHASE II
EDL July & August
(6 weeks)
During July and the first two weeks of August (Phase II), EDL will offer free sack lunches and milk daily to all children who come for one.
Skelly School will be the distribution site for children to pick up sack lunches during the week, Monday - Thursday, from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, to be eaten at home or a local park.
In addition, Weekend Foodpacks (3 sack lunches and 3 milk cartons) will be distributed on Thursdays to all children who come to the distribution site on Thursday and want one. supplement with food donations collected by the First Baptist Church.
Sack lunches will be distributed to any child under the age of 18.
USD 490 plans to continue its shuttle service between its schools during this period.
In addition, Weekend Foodpacks will be provided to the neediest kids who are not able to come pick them up, via distribution sites at child serving programs such as Rainbow, Inc.
To collect demographic data, children will be asked to sign a “Daily Distribution Report” with their first name and age. No questions will be asked other than, “How are you today?” Private day care and pre-school programs are asked not to bring their children for free lunches without making arrangements in advance with KN2E .
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First Baptist Church
For the past two years, the First Baptist Church (FBC) in El Dorado has sponsored a summer Backpack Ministry to provide weekend meals for children in the neediest households.
Approximately half of its backpacks were distributed via Rainbow United, Inc. which provides services for children with special needs in Butler County.
This summer FBC is teaming up with EDL to collect food donations to supplement the sack lunches in the Weekend Foodpacks during Phase 1 and Phase 2.
FBC backpacks provide food items similar to those used by the Food4Kids backpack program during the school year.
FBC volunteers also may assist EDL with the packaging and distribution of the Weekend Foodpacks, and in other ways.
Additional
Foods
ELB and the FBC plan to seek donations of shelf-stable food items for distribution with the Weekend Foodpacks.
If donations are sufficient, during Phase II children will be given the opportunity to choose a food item in addition to their sack lunch and milk, Monday - Thursday.
Examples: shelf-stable foods.
fruit & pudding cups
fruit roll-up type treats
fresh ready-to-eat fruit with peels (oranges, bananas)
breakfast and granola bars
raisin boxes
Volunteers
& Teen
Workers
Help will be needed to: Pack the weekend Foodpacks during
Phase I and II, Pass out lunches at Skelly during Phase II,
and Put the milk cartons in the coolers at
Skelly for the next day.
USD 490 plans to offer a Food Service Class during the Summer Academy for teens to learn and practice work skills during Phase I.
During Phase II, EDL plans to hire at least two teens who complete the Food Service Program, and pay minimum wage for 2 hours a day (4 days/week). Separate fundraising will be sought for this teen work program.
The milk tastes better chilled.
Activities Program
Other summer meal programs in Kansas have found there is better participation when activities are offered in connection with meals.
The Summer Academy meets this need during Phase I.
KN2E is exploring activity options during Phase II that are cost-neutral or low cost.
These activities need to be provided at a site close to Skelly School, such as a church or park.
Possibilities include movies, crafts, and the Green Club curriculum.
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Promotion
Similar programs report that advertising and a robust promotion campaign are needed to ensure high participation in summer meal programs:
Flyers sent home from schools
Newspaper announcements
Local radio & T.V. PSAs
Press Releases to media outlets
Churches
Local food pantries
Social services agencies
Community programs (YMCA, Parks & Recreation, Swimming Pool, etc.)
Leafleting cars in targeted neighborhoods and apartment complexes.
EDL plans to identify a single point of contact for parents to opt in to receiving Weekend Foodpacks - someone who parents will feel comfortable contacting by phone or email.
EDL plans to place a banner in front of Skelly School:
Budget
Phase I: Weekend Foodpacks 3 sack lunches & milk cartons per Foodpack x 60 kids x 4 weeks 600 sack lunches x $2.50/ea. $2100
Phase II: Daily sack lunches & milk. 60 kids x 7days/wk x 8 weeks 3360 sack lunches x $2.50/ea. $8400.
Total: $10,500
Teen Workers: 2 teens x 2 hours/day x 4 days/week x 6 weeks 96 hours x $6.25/hr. $600 [$50/wk each; $300 for 6 weeks].
Based on other program’s experience, EDL anticipates feeding about 6% of the children receiving free or reduced price meals during the school year. USD490: 600 in elementary schools 600 in M.S. & H.S.
Funding
KN2E seeks to raise $10,000 in donations to the KS Food Bank for the EDL program.
Checks are made payable to the Kansas Food Bank with “El Dorado LunchBox” designated on the memo line. Checks are mailed to: Kansas Food Bank, 1900 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67211 or
Kids Need To Eat, PO Box 467, El Dorado, KS 67042
Donations can also be made by credit card on the Kansas Food Bank website: www.kansasfoodbank.org (scroll down to the El Dorado LunchBox donation link under the “Our Programs” column.
KN2E has a multifaceted fundraising plan to seek seed money from a grant and corporate sponsors.
KN2E plans to raise separate funding for the Teen Work component and any costs associated with offering an activity program.
Kids Eat Free Here 7/1 - 8/8
Mon. - Thurs.
11:30am - 12:30 pm
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Deadlines
The Kansas Food Bank needs to know by mid-April how many sack lunches to order for the EDL program.
April 15 is our target for raising $10,000 in donations to the Food Bank for the meals.
Misc.
KN2E plans to survey local churches about their Summer Bible School programs, in order to estimate their impact on the estimated number of meals needed.
Numana
Numana, Inc. is a hunger-relief meal packaging program headquartered in El Dorado, KS. It has hosted packaging events that produced over 26 million meals sent to other countries where people are starving.
It currently is developing domestic meals for packing and distribution in the United States.
If available by June 1, KN2E would like to include Numana meal packages in the Weekend Foodpacks.
EDL can also distribute any surplus produced from Numana’s Community Garden program.
Meals are casserole-type dishes cooked in boiling water that serve four (e.g., beans & rice, cheesy rice).
Storage
The Food Bank needs to make a single delivery of lunch sacks and milk cartons before June 1.
Skelly School has a large storage area that can be used for this purpose.
During the school year, Food4Kids delivers backpacks monthly to each of the participating schools.
School
Supplies
Similar programs in Kansas also request donations of school supplies to be distributed to children in August for the new school year.
This is something under consideration.
The Salvation Army has a voucher program for school supplies which might better meet this need.
Surveys & Reports
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of El Dorado LunchBox in meeting food insecurity needs during the summer, under consideration are:
a pre- and post-survey of USD 490 students;
preparation of a report summarizing the EDL program and its results.
Separate funding will be sought for this purpose, as needed.
Questions or comments?
Please contact: Judie Storandt, Community Consultant Kids Need to Eat (KN2E), 405-308-9158 / [email protected]
