Arlethia Brown, School Nutrition Director, Camden School District discussed the program she oversees for the district, including preparing and serving meals through lunch and breakfast programs, in afterschool programs, at athletic events and school catered events. She described her responsibilities during the pandemic, when students are not on campus, she and her staff have been preparing food boxes for delivery to families within the district. Ms Brown told how she plans the offerings, knowing that kids can easily buy junk food at local shops, and how she incorporates nutrition education into her programs, for students and for families receiving her meals. Beyond her dedicated staff, she spoke of all of the strategic partnerships that help make the program possible, from local manufactures, to the American Dairy Association who provides refrigerators and drink machines, and we discussed how everyone loves cheese and ice-cream! Finally, a reminder of the food insecurity many students and their families face, the importance of nutritional food for wellness and productivity, on the job and in the classroom, and the importance of increasing those resource.
