More then 146 Students in the West Hancock School District Will Receive PowerSnack Coupons
posted on Sunday, November 17, 2019
“When our students are worried about what they are going to eat at home, it takes away from their ability to focus on tasks at school,” said Michelle DeHart, Principal at West Hancock Community Schools Elementary School. “But when their basic nutrition needs are met, students are able to focus mental energy into learning and building relationships with others.”
To support food-insecure children in Britt and statewide, Iowa Select Farms and the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation are delivering Power Snacks—coupons for deli ham and whole wheat bread. Four times throughout the school year, eligible students will receive a $5 coupon for a pound of deli ham and a $3 coupon for a loaf of whole wheat bread.
“As farmers and pork producers we are passionate about assisting hunger-relief efforts, particularly those directed towards children,” said Jen Sorenson, communications director of Iowa Select Farms. “As part of our ongoing commitment to rural Iowa, we continue to grow efforts like Power Snack.”
This year, Power Snack will provide 23,267 children across 127 schools with 837,612 meals—a 23 percent increase from 2017.
“It’s common for hungry students to have emotional struggles during the day that they would otherwise not have when they have eaten before coming to school,” explained Michelle. “These coupons will help us ensure that families have access to food for their children.”
Why ham?
“Kids love ham,” said Sorenson. “It’s easy to prepare, full of flavor and promotes growth and development. 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™.”
In Britt and school districts throughout Iowa, school is typically the place where food-insecure students eat the majority of their meals.
“We’ve found that many of our students get their most fulfilling meals here at school,” Michelle explained. “When we are approaching a break, like Thanksgiving that is right around the corner, many of our students are wondering where and how they are going to get fed when they are not in school. These coupons help alleviate a lot of their anxiety.”
In total, 146 students in the West Hancock School District will receive Power Snack coupons—a contribution valued at $4,672 and enough resources to make 5,256 ham sandwiches.
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