Help Arrives for Hungry Children, Families
Help arrives for hungry children, families
By BECKY THOMAS, Staff Reporter
Children in Cheney Middle School’s afterschool program will have to find a new excuse. Now they can’t say they’re too tired to participate in activities. They’ll be provided with substantial nutritious snacks from the new Kids’ Café. Cheney Middle School has partnered with Second Harvest Inland Northwest and Communities in Schools of Spokane County to provide the free afterschool snacks, as well as sandwiches that kids can take home. It’s part of an effort to keep kids healthy and well-fed in the school district. Kids’ Café is the third program of its kind in Washington and the first to reside in a school. The cafe was launched Tuesday and will be open to kids who participate in CMS’s afterschool program. Jason Clark, executive director of Second Harvest, was at the kickoff event. “It felt like a really easy fit,” he said of bringing Kids’ Café to Cheney. “I think this is a great setting.” Clark said the Kids’ Café is implemented in areas where more than half the participants come from low income homes. Ben Stuckart, executive director of Communities in Schools, was also in attendance at the kickoff. He said the need for healthy food has risen recently, and that Kids’ Café was a great way to address the problem while increasing participation in afterschool programs. He also said the program will help students in other areas of their school life. He said better nutrition will reduce behavioral problems and help students focus on the classroom. Second harvest also brought their mobile food bank to CMS Tuesday. Clark said the food bank couldn’t run without local volunteers who meet the tucks at distribution sites. Residents lined up to receive potatoes, onion, strawberries, and more on Tuesday.
Becky Thomas can be reached at becky@cheneyfreepress.com
Tags: Becky Thomas, Ben Stuckart, cheney middle school, CIS, CISSC, communities in schools, Communities In Schools of Spokane County, Jason Clark, Kids' Cafe, Second Harvest
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
