Child Nutrition Program Sr. Ann Middlebrooks, SEC, Associate Superintendent We have all experienced hunger at some point in our lives. Though it may have only been temporary, we were aware of the hunger. Imagine trying to remain focused and learn in that hungered state; it’s not easy. The Diocese of Shreveport Child Nutrition Program (CNP) serves students quality meals in a Christian environment by ensuring that the meals are healthy, correctly prepared, and attractively served in pleasant surroundings (adapted from the mission statement). Over the past three years, the CNP has seen a steady increase in the number of students eating the school meals. One can speculate that the governments COVID-19 recovery through the availability of free lunches for all students contributed to the influx. For the 2022-2023 school year, the CNP will return to pre-COVID-19 status
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CATHOLIC CONNECTION
with families needing to complete a Free and Reduced Meal application. Secretary Tom Vilsak commented on the Passage of Keep Kids Fed Act on 6/24/2022 saying, “…it is important to note that schools across the country will still face ongoing challenges and at USDA, we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to ensure kids get the nutritious meals they need and deserve.” One thing is for sure, the CNP staff have been busy the past years. Very often, these are the unsung heroes in our school, working behind the counter to produce tasty and nutritious food for our students. They are among the first workers at the schools in the morning. Thank you for being a viable part of “the village” and giving our students the ability to have nutritious meals at school.
