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WI School Districts Nationally Recognized for Healthier School Meals

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 19:13:00 GMT

Action for Healthy Kids and USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service announced that 50 school districts have received 64 Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) Recognition Awards during the months of March, April and May for making nutritional improvements to their school meals.

As part of the HMI Initiative, the Recognition Awards Program celebrates school districts that make operational and/or planning and preparation changes to improve the nutritional quality of their school meals, as well as school districts that engage students and families in nutrition education.

Details and a map of recipients can be found on the Awardee Spotlight webpage. Mulitple school districts in Wisconsin have been recognized in the following HMI Recognition Awards categories:

Small and/or Rural SFA Breakfast Trailblazer
North Crawford School District

Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals
Mount Horeb Area School District
New Richmond School District
School District of Beloit Turner
School District of Stockbridge

Innovation in Nutrition Education
Ashwaubenon School District

“The progress being made in small and/or rural school districts is unprecedented, and we needed a national Recognition Awards program to match that level of commitment,” said Rob Bisceglie, Executive Officer/President of Action for Healthy Kids. “We are happy to celebrate the staff who dedicate their days to preparing fresh, nutritious, and delicious meals for their students.”

“The Recognition Awards highlight the progress our schools are making in improving the quality of school breakfast and lunch,” said Cindy Long, administrator of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. “We’re seeing incredible efforts and innovative accomplishments by school nutrition professionals, as they provide their students with healthy, nutritious meals.”

The Recognition Awards application can be found on the HMI website. School districts are eligible to apply for the Recognition Awards if they participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis over a two-year application period ending June 30, 2025. School districts that apply by August 30, 2024, and receive a Recognition Award, will qualify for a travel stipend to attend the Fall 2024 Healthy Meals Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. School districts that apply between August 30, 2024, and the end of the application period on June 30, 2025, will qualify to attend the Fall 2025 Healthy Meals Summit.

Local Farm-to-Kitchen Nutrition Program Focuses on Hmong Youth

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 19:33:00 GMT

From NBC WTMJ-TV (Milwaukee): Tahleel Mohieldin

View the Full Article Here

FRANKLIN, Wis. – The Hunger Task Force is hoping to get members of the Milwaukee area’s Hmong community focused on healthy eating and they're counting on early intervention to make that happen.

The group began running the final summer installment of their “Cooking with Culture” initiative Monday, which offered kids a chance to harvest their own vegetables and cook their own meals.

"They are sponges," group child nutrition educator Melanie Foland said. "They are just taking in all of this information so it's so important that we are reaching them while they're at a young age."

Hunger Task Force Community Nutrition Program Manager Ashley Best said the group decided to focus on the Hmong community after recognizing they were more at risk for certain preventable diseases.

"We realized that there is a severe need for nutrition education within the Hmong community," she explained. "With large populations here in Milwaukee we are seeing more diseases such as diabetes, heart-related diseases, which are all related to dietary concerns."

Best said the group partnered with the Hmong American Peace Academy, a Milwaukee Public Schools charter school, to reach out to some the Hmong community's youngest members.

The two-week program is expected to return next summer. During the school year, the Hunger Task Force will continue their nutrition education programs at Milwaukee Public Schools which serve about 150 students annually.

Help Feed School Kids Now Campaign

Thu, 2 Apr 2020 13:54:00 GMT

If you've asked yourself how you can make a difference as our country faces extraordinary challenges, we have a suggestion for you. Before COVID-19 prompted nationwide shutdowns, school nutrition professionals were serving healthy school meals to 30 million students every day. Today, these school nutrition heros are working on the frontlines to ensure vulnerable kids who depend on these meals don't go hungry during COVID-19 school closures. The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) will provide grants to school districts across the country so more kids can be fed. They will fund purchases of food and packaging for grab and go meals, mobile carts and kiosks for curbside service, supplies and even personal protection equipment. These caring and selfless heros join the ranks of first responders during this unprecedented time, and they need your help today! Please click on the link and donate whatever you can and show your support.

ForwardHealth Announces New Policies for Telehealth Reimbursement

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 18:56:00 GMT

ForwardHealth will allow telehealth services utilizing interactive synchronous (real-time) technology, including audio-only phone communication, for currently covered services that can be delivered with functional equivalency to the face-to-face service. This applies to all service areas and all enrolled professional and paraprofessional providers allowable within current ForwardHealth coverage policy.

Please refer to the Forward Health Update 2020-15 (link) for a comprehensive explanation of the update.