One of the most troubling outcomes of the pandemic is its impact on school meals/feeding. With 30 million students depending on federal meal programs, school closures have put school meal delivery/distribution at risk. Before COVID-19, 1 in 6 kids was food insecure; now it’s 1 in 4. The meals crisis underscores the role schools play in strengthening kids’ lives, particularly vulnerable students who face inequities due to socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity.
Even as school buildings remain closed for learning, schools are still feeding kids. In time for Hunger Action Month, GENYOUth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating healthier school communities, has just released new data and findings highlighting the crisis that schools continue to face in feeding their students.Given the pandemic’s impact on schools, delivering and distributing meals has never been more important or trickier. Joining to discuss their mission is Alexis Glick, CEO of GENYOUth.