Greene County Community School District in Jefferson, Iowa was Visited by the Power Snacker
posted on Monday, November 18, 2019
“These coupons couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Jill Wanninger, School Nurse at Greene County Community School District in Jefferson, Iowa. “We distribute them to students before long breaks so that we know they’ll always have access to food, even when they’re not at school.”
For the past seven years, food-insecure students in Greene County have been receiving Power Snack—a Program of Iowa Select Farms and Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation that provides coupons for deli ham and whole wheat bread. This year, 125 schools are enrolled in the Program and statewide, more than 91,000 Power Snack coupons will be distributed for 22,751 children.
“Many students come to school without having breakfast or even dinner the night before,” explained Wanninger. “When students are hungry, they may get headaches, stomach aches or show behavior issues. It affects their ability to learn.”
New this year, Jill will also receive pork sticks to keep at school for immediate hunger situations.
“We have so many students that come to school hungry and these will be so helpful for them,” she exclaimed. “We offer crackers, peanut butter, and other snacks, but do not often have protein. It’s so important for growth and development, so these pork sticks just really excite me.”
Combining the energy and carbohydrates of whole wheat bread with the protein of ham means the children will have made themselves a real “Power Snack”.
One of Jill’s favorite things about the Program is how discretely the coupons can be distributed.
“Power Snack allows students access to food without other students knowing they are being assisted,” she said. “We are able to distribute them discreetly, which I think is helpful. It allows us to truly help those who need it.”
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