According to the US Census, Vermont has some of the most severe hunger in the country. For many of us this is hard to believe as hunger is often hidden in Vermont. How do we solve a problem that many of us can’t see or even comprehend?
At Hunger Free Vermont we see our vision for ending hunger and malnutrition played out every day, in each of Vermont’s 14 counties. Schools, child care centers, summer programs, senior centers, and community based organizations are ending hunger by not only providing healthful meals, but also by teaching participants about healthy eating in a way that will inform their eating habits in the long-term. Hunger Free Vermont is a home base of support, education, and advocacy to help make these programs a reality.
The 14Free video project features 1 meal program in each of Vermont’s 14counties and brings you the real-life success stories that are ending hunger and malnutrition in Vermont. 14 counties. 14 stories. 14 solutions.
In our final episode of 14Free, we visit the Burlington Children's Space, a child care center in the heart of Burlington's North End. At this center we meet Erinn Simon, self-proclaimed "Lunch Lady". Erinn beams when she talks about her job feeding young kids fresh, nutritious meals from their small, homey kitchen. She tells us how integrated the meal program is into the learning at the center. Children learn important social skills by eating family-style, they learn about where food comes from by gardening a plot near their school and visiting the Intervale farms in Burlington where some of their food comes from, and they also learn how to try new foods that they may not have otherwise tried if they weren't doing so along with their peers. Sara Adams-Kolitz is the Director of the center and she explains how the sponsorship program from Child Care Resource helps cut down on the administrative paperwork that can often be a barrier to centers participating in the program that provides reimbursement for meals. This helps free up time for Sarah to do additional fundraising to fund the dynamic, wholesome meal program that Erinn coordinates.
Episode 13: Franklin County
In episode 13 of 14Free we visit Enosberg Elementary School in Franklin County. We meet the Food Service Director, Earleen Bosley, who has been working at the school for the last 34 years. Earleen is passionate about teaching kids about healthy eating and the importance of eating five fruits and vegetables every day. Earleen works with the Principal, Michelle Lussier, to incorporate nutrition education into the classroom. Together, Michelle and Earleen are ensuring that the children at Enosberg Elementary are getting the nutrition they need to be able to perform well in class and that they are learning about where their food comes from and what nutrients they need to be healthy. The result? The kids love trying new fruits and vegetables and telling Ms. Bosley what they want to see on their menu. They are excited about nutrition and they even do a "Hip, hip, hooray!" cheer for five fruits and vegetables a day!
Episode 12: Lamoille County
In episode 12 of 14Free we visit Laraway Youth & Family Services in Johnson in Lamoille County. We meet the Executive Director, Greg Stefanski, who tells us about the importance of their meal program for their students as not only a source of nutritious food but also as an act of caring. Lisa Rock, the Food Service Director, has led a successful school meal program out of a tiny kitchen for years—and has even run a summer meal program where she prepared meals for 7 sites in her area. Now, Lisa is in heaven at the school's new facilities in a renovated barn on acres of farm land in Johnson. Her new kitchen is conducive to the cooking and food storage for the school meals program she runs and for her summer meal program. Additionally, it is a space in which they will be able to continue to host Hunger Free Vermont's Learning Kitchen nutrition education and cooking classes. We are thrilled that the kids at Laraway have caring leaders that understand the important role nutritious food plays in a successful education and that they now have a beautiful new school in which to learn and grow.
Episode 11: Grand Isle County
While studies prove that good nutrition is imperative for young children's developing brains, Vermont is ranked 49th in the nation for participation in the federal reimbursement program that helps child care centers provide meals. Hunger Free Vermont works to improve access to this vital reimbursement program and provide logistical assistance to centers to help them offer nutritious meals. Another important part of our outreach work is to provide trainings for child care centers so that they can learn best practices such as serving meals family-style. In this film you will learn why family-style meals are so critical for teaching young children important social and motor skills and why the Champlain Island's Parent Child Center's Cook, Wanda, LOVES her job!
Episode 10: Rutland County
Watch the 10th episode of 14Free and learn about Hunger Free Vermont's Learning Kitchen nutrition education program that is offered at schools and community sites across the state. In this episode we visit a class at the Rutland Parent/Child Center to see how The Learning Kitchen helps young parents maximize their 3SquaresVT dollars and cook healthy meals for their families.
Episode 9: Essex County
In the 9th episode of 14Free, we visit the Lunenburg Farmers' Market in Essex County. The market is held in the town green and run by a group of volunteers who are committed to making this a resource available to all the farmers, entrepreneurs, and members of the community. Essex County is Vermont's most rural county which means that access to grocery stores is limited. Making fresh, local foods at the Farmers' Markets available to all members of the community - including those participating in the 3SquaresVT benefit - is particularly invaluable when living far from grocery stores and/or with limited transportation options.
Episode 8: Orleans County
In the 8th episode of 14Free, we highlight the Newport City Summer Out-of-School Program in Orleans County. In a town that has very few child care options and a high low-income population, the summer program that the School Counselor and Out-of-School Program Director, Jeane Kadmiri, runs is essential to the health and well-being of children in her community. With sincere love, concern, and hope for the children in her program, Jeane offers enriching activities and consistent meals to over 110 children in Newport throughout the summer months. This program not only provides regular meals to kids who rely on school meals during the school year, but keeps them active, socializing, and engaged so that they don't fall behind their peers academically and re ready for school in the fall.
Episode 7: Windham County
In the 7th episode of 14Free, we visit Windham County to highlight the Flat Street Boys and Girls Club in Brattleboro. Ricky and the Executive Director of the Club, Beth Baldwin-Page, both recognized the need to establish a meal program in their afterschool and summer programming and have enrolled in the appropriate federal meal reimbursement programs to make it possible. During the school year they cook meals in their kitchen and use it as an opportunity to establish relationships with the teens and teach cooking skills. During the summer months their meals are delivered from Cafe Service in Brattleboro, allowing them to feed more kids. The supper and summer meal programs offered at the Flat Street Club are essential for the kids in Brattleboro to help fill the gaps when school meals are not available.
Episode 6: Orange County
In the 6th episode of 14Free, we highlight a summer meal program in Randolph. The food for this site is provided by Sandy Gilderdale of Bethel Schools in Windsor. Sandy loves to prepare homemade meals in her school and summer program and gave us a long list of the meals her kids love including her mother’s homemade meatloaf, sautéed broccolini, baked sweet potato fries, root vegetable chowder-and she loves to sneak grated carrots or zucchini in to baked goods. In addition to the meals that Sandy makes for the summer meal site at her school, each day Sandy packs meals to be picked up for two Boys and Girls camps in Randolph.
Episode 5: Bennington County
In the 5th episode of 14Free, we highlight the Cafe at the Bennington Senior Center and their Meals on Wheals program. With only a third of eligible seniors participating in 3SquaresVT, Hunger Free Vermont has added a staff member to our 3SquareVT advocacy team who will focus on outreach and education to this population. Many seniors do not know this, but 3SquaresVT participants can use their benefits to pay for Meals on Wheels as well as for meals at senior centers. We look forward to increasing our efforts to ensure that every senior has the nutrition they need for their health and well-being.
Episode 4: Windsor County
In the fourth episode of 14Free, we highlight a meal program at the Community High School of Vermont in Springfield. Here we meet Susan Chiefsky, an intructor at the school, who worked with Hunger Free Vermont to bring meals to her students. This meal program adds yet another dimension to the spectrum of meal programs that are making a difference for students across our state. For these particularly vulnerable students, these meals do more than offer a source of nutrition, but also express a level of caring that is crucial to their success.
Episode 3: Caledonia County
In the third episode of 14Free, we highligh the meal program at St. Johnsbury School. Here we meet Carol Brill, Food Service Director, and learn about the "adopt an account "program that she developed. This program allows school staff to help pay for meals for kids who otherwise would go hungry.
Episode 2: Washington County
In the second episode of 14Free, we highlight the meal program at Harwood Union School. Here we meet Chef Paul Morris and learn about his success bringing the program out of debt while increasing the qulaity of the food served. Chef Paul incorporates food from local farms and businesses with the mission: "to provide Harwood Union students with the knowledge, skills and environment to make food choices that support healthy bodies, healthy minds and a healthy planet."
Pilot Episode: Addison County
In the pilot episode of 14Free, we highlight the meal programs at Mt. Abraham Union High School and Bristol Elementary. Here we meet Kathy Alexander and her staff and learn about how they not only incorporate whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, local foods, etc, but how they also use the meal program as an opportunity to teach kids about healthy eating.
According to the US Census, Vermont has some of the most severe hunger in the country. For many of us this is hard to believe as hunger is often hidden in Vermont. How do we solve a problem that many of us can’t see or even comprehend?