Services Librarian Sturgis Library, Barnstable L IBRARIES AND THE S - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Megan McClelland, Youth Services Librarian Sturgis Library, Barnstable

LIBRARIES AND

THE SUMMER FOOD

SERVICE PROGRAM

Cate Merlin, Peabody Institute Library

WHY IS THIS PROGRAM NEEDED?

 Of Peabody’s population of 51,000, 6% of families

live below the poverty line

 The kids and teens who spend their afternoons

and summers at the PIL often do not have reliable computer or internet access at home, and use the library for this technology as well as our programs, events and Makerspace equipment and classes

 Kids who need free or discounted school lunches

still need somewhere to eat during the summer

WHY LIBRARIES?

 Neutral place for children and teens to comfortably

eat lunch without stigma or embarrassment of needing “free” food

 Known community center  “Usual” summer programming partnered with

lunches is an easy tie-in for kids and the library

 Specialized programming

(week-long “camps”, etc.) becomes possible now that lunch is included

HOW IT WORKS

 At the PIL, lunch is served from at 12pm Mondays-

Thursdays during the summer, with a craft or activity available to children and teens after lunch. Daily attendance since the program began in 2009 is between 30-50 kids, depending on the year, weather, etc.

 Do kids have to sign up?  Who provides the food?  Who serves the food?  Staff Requirements  Space Requirements  Equipment Requirements

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

BEST PRACTICES

 Full commitment by all library staff is needed. This is a big undertaking,

depending on attendance, and having the support of all staff is necessary for kids and teens to truly feel welcome to eat, laugh and be merry in a setting that doesn’t always encourage eating and noise, especially in the same place!

 A dedicated staff member in charge of day-to-day technicalities (food

temperature, lunch counts, etc.) turns the program in a well-oiled machine

 Teen/adult volunteers can help with

set up, distribution and after-lunch activities and programs (bonus if your library has access to summer internship or volunteer program for local teens)

BEST PRACTICES

 Community partners can help advertise, staff and promote your

Summer Foods program. Even if an organization can’t contribute financially, they can still donate the time and effort of employees and volunteers.

 Advertise programs and events that include lunch, so parents know

their kids will both have access to a nutritious meal while participating in fun activities

 School districts are often able to place “robo-calls” informing all

parents of Summer Foods program- this will bring incredible attendance, so only do this if you’re prepared!

 Grants to purchase programming equipment (i.e. tables, chairs,

playground toys) or supplies for specific programs and events can expand your programming abilities and provide support for truly amazing summer events that combine the SFSP with the national summer reading theme

UNMASK! SUMMER 2015 FUNDED BY A GENEROUS GRANT FROM PROJECT BREAD

TIPS & RESOURCES TO START AN SFSP @ YOUR LIBRARY



Think about how the SFSP fits into your library and its mission. Why should your library run summer foods? Thinking through this part early will help if your colleagues and potential partners have questions about the library’s role in a program like this.



Talk to your library director and co-workers about the SFSP. Explain why you think your library should get involved.



See if a SFSP is already operating in your community. If so, it may be fairly easy to add your library as a feeding site. The public school Food Service Department in your city or town may be a good place to start.



If you are starting from scratch, contact the state agency in charge of Child Nutrition Programs. To find your state’s agency, check out: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Contacts/StateDirectory.htm#M



Brainstorm partners. Start with organizations in your community who have an interest in serving youth (schools, churches, recreation departments, YMCAs,), but don’t stop there. If a potential partner can’t participate, think outside the box about who else could fulfill the needed role.



Involve elected officials early. Your mayor, council and school board members or library trustees may have contacts and influence that can benefit your SFSP.



Explore funding options. The federal reimbursement rate may not cover all expenses, especially if you plan to offer programs and activities at your site. In Massachusetts, the statewide non-profit Project Bread (www.projectbread.org) offers grants for new sponsors and sites and for programs wishing to offer locally grown produce as part of their summer meals. Also, consider local businesses, hospitals and foundations as potential funders.



Don’t limit partners to only those who can provide financial support. Look for in-kind contributions and for partners who can step in for each other should problems arise.

Worcester Pubic Schools

Refrigerated Mobile Summer Meal Program

ensuring continuous access to nutritious meals when school is not in session during end of June, July, and August, some sites on Saturday's doubled the number of meals from 13,000 year I to 26,000 year II 2 DCR pool locations 3 City Libraries: main and 2 branches Libby Mobile Library (year 2): high need neighborhood 10 Parks (year 2): afternoon programming 2 Central Mass YMCA Camps (year 2): open sites

Farmers Market with activities on Saturday

Healthy Kids Challenge Curriculum

SFSP Kickoff

Deeana Ijaz, MS, MPH February 10th, 2016

Work with out-of-school time

• rganizations to create healthy

environments for all children

Healthy Kids Out of School

Three Guiding Principles

This curriculum aides sponsors and sites in meeting nutrition education guidance from USDA

• Nutrition education is an important part of serving meals to

children participating in SFSP

• Nutrition education helps children:
• Adopt healthy eating habits
• Develop positive attitudes toward nutritious meals
• Learn to accept a wide variety of foods
• Establish good food habits early in life
• Share and socialize in group eating situations

Source: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NutritionGuide.pdf

USDA Nutrition Guidance for SFSP

This curriculum aides sponsors and sites in meeting physical activity guidance from USDA

• Children need at least 60 minutes per day of moderate physical

activity.

• Physical activity helps children have fun and:
• Develop healthy habits
• Develop strong muscles, a healthy heart and lungs
• Strengthen bones
• Develop motor skills, balance, and coordination
• Develop positive attitudes
• Improve self esteem

Source: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NutritionGuide.pdf

USDA Physical Activity Guidance for SFSP

Provide programming that is healthy and fun

• Much more than activities, the curriculum is a tool to teach

children healthy behaviors

• Curriculum incorporates guiding principles to create fun games

and activities

• Curriculum is aligned with USDA guidance for SFSP programming
• Encourages physical activity and healthy eating

Help the youth you serve develop healthy habits at a young age that can last a lifetime

The Curriculum and SFSP

Sessions

25-35 Min Sessions 15 Minute Physical Activities Easy to print handouts Handouts can be used as a group or in pairs of children

Example Activity

Use fruits and vegetables you are already serving to make SFSP more fun!

• Simple programming
• Engage children- increase SFSP participation
• Follow USDA nutrition education and physical activity guidance
• Healthy Kids Challenge

Why Use the Curriculum

Laureen Pizzi, Resident Service Coordinator Weymouth Housing Authority, Weymouth