Children in Low-Income Communities Will Receive Nutritious Food
DYER, Tenn. – There are more than 1 million K-12 students in Tennessee, with almost two-thirds qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches. But when school is out for the summer, many do not have access to healthy meals. Thanks to an ongoing partnership between UT-TSU Extension Dyer County and local community organizations, children and youth in low-income areas now have free access to nutritious food and wellness opportunities.
The program, which has provided hundreds of thousands of meals for more than 40 years, is estimated to impact 800 students daily from May to August. Twenty-two locations across Dyer and Lake County serve as food distribution centers for the program, each facility within walking distance of those in need to allow convenient access.
“There are approximately 3,000 students in Dyer County without healthy food, and we must make sure the resources they need are nearby, safe and reliable,” says William Taylor, community economic development Extension agent at UT-TSU Extension Dyer County. “We have grab-and-go locations where kids can get a meal and take it home to eat, but we try to offer programs to enhance their wellbeing in other ways, too.”
UT-TSU Extension agents and on-site workers teach classes on healthy eating and nutrition, in addition to providing recreational activities to increase physical activity. Many locations also offer tutoring to improve reading skills and to prepare students for the upcoming school year.
“Wellness isn’t just the food we eat, we want to provide structure and support to help students develop into healthy adults,” says Terrell Davis, county director of UT-TSU Extension Dyer County. “We are honored to be a positive influence on so many students as we continue to improve the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of our community.”
The program is made possible thanks to collaboration with local government agencies, non-profit organizations, community centers, the Tennessee Department of Human Services and others. For more information on this summer’s program and locations near you, contact UT-TSU Extension Dyer County at 731-286-7821. To learn more about similar community outreach programs across the state, please contact your local county Extension office.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.