Healthy Kids at Home: IDEA'S Child Nutrition Program

HEALTHY KIDS AT HOME:

IDEA’S CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM

At 5:00 a.m. across the district, dozens of Child Nutrition Program managers and cafeteria staff are starting their day. Ovens begin to warm, and the rich smell of fresh produce and homemade meals fill the air.

KITCHENS COME ALIVE with the whir of appliances and excited chatter as IDEA staff begin to prepare a day’s worth of meals for thousands of children across our regions, long before many of them are even awake. In fact, throughout the pandemic, IDEA’s kitchens have never closed as frontline cafeteria staff have worked to ensure that all children maintain access to healthy and delicious meals. "We love being able to go the extra mile and make meals for children in our community," says Rosario Colunga, Cafeteria Manager at IDEA Quest in Edinburg, Texas. "Last spring, all campuses were engaged in virtual instruction, so it was important to coordinate meals to go for curbside pick-up. Now that we have students opting to learn both in-person and virtually, we have the challenge of preparing and bundling meals for both groups. It has taken a lot of work to keep our operation going strong, but we are proud to serve our communities."

When our nation faced unprecedented closures last spring in light of COVID-19, IDEA Public Schools’ Child Nutrition Program took a week to plan how to feed children in our communities via curbside meal services. And just eight short days later, the division’s entire operation shifted to packing, bundling, and distributing healthy and nutritious meals while keeping families—and themselves—safe. Staff worked tirelessly, even on weekends and holidays, to meet the needs of our community. "It’s a humbling experience to be able to provide meals to our students every school day, because we don’t know if that child has good nutrition at home or if they know where their next meal is going to come from," says Fernando Aguilar, Managing Director of IDEA’s Child Nutrition Program. "It is a labor of love. We care about our scholars and want to offer them healthy and nutritious food each day that will keep them strong, healthy and ultimately fully focused on their education."

Since March, IDEA served more than 13 million meals to any child aged 18 and under in each of our communities, whether they are an IDEA student or not. This commitment to providing healthy meal options for all students is a testament to IDEA’s Healthy Kids Here initiative.

Launched in 2014, Healthy Kids Here aims to make IDEA one of the healthiest school districts in America with three main areas of focus: food, fitness, and instilling healthy habits for the future.

With an emphasis on helping students gain a strong foundation of healthy habits, Healthy Kids Here provides students with nutritious healthy meals and snacks each

day, 5 campus farm programs keep schools supplied with delicious, locally grown, organic produce. Physical fitness programs keep scholars healthy and strong, while educating students and families about the importance of proper hygiene and healthy living.

In 2020, IDEA received national attention when the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s 2020 list of "America’s Healthiest Schools" included 59 IDEA schools across five Texas regions. The designation recognizes schools that have demonstrated a commitment to promoting quality nutrition, regular physical activity, and strong wellness policies. In fact, IDEA had more school winners than any other school district, making it the healthiest school district in the nation!

In total, 33 Academy schools and 26 College Preparatory schools were recognized, including schools in IDEA Austin, IDEA El Paso, IDEA Rio Grande Valley, IDEA Tarrant County, and IDEA San Antonio.

Though schools were evaluated on practices taking place prior to the COVID-19 school closures, they leveraged strong foundations in wellness and were positioned to prioritize healthy habits throughout the pandemic.

The recognition is a major accomplishment thanks in part to the success of IDEA’s Child Nutrition Program. The COVID-19 pandemic has without a doubt shown just how important school meals are for the health and well-being of students and their families.

Throughout the pandemic and even as student instruction vacillated between in-person instruction and distance learning, cafeteria workers and CNP staff could be found working hard to prepare nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner options for the community. "This work really echoes our core value of Team & Family," says Aguilar. "We are blessed to have a committed workforce with men and women waking up at 4:00 a.m. to fire up the ovens to provide fresh meals every day and serve the community. Throughout the year, our CNP staff go above and beyond their duties with dedication and love."

Lester Jones, Cafeteria Manager at IDEA Bridge in Southern Louisiana, was driven by a mission to serve and comfort the community during the pandemic. "I encourage my staff and tell them getting up each day and providing meals for families is bigger than what we may see in our daily routine," says Jones. "This is really an opportunity for us to serve our community and offer a bit of help and comfort during a very uncertain time, and that is significant."

In addition to providing several hundred meals a day for IDEA scholars and their siblings, Jones and his staff also offer food to the community at-large, including a nearby daycare. "It is very satisfying to be able to give our fellow community members one less thing to worry about," says Jones, holding back emotion. "When I see the smiles on those children’s faces when they receive a plate of food… it’s just a wonderful feeling." ♦