School Divisions – including Pulaski County – Honored with 2018 School Nutrition Award by No Kid Hungry Virginia

Richmond, VA – Five new school divisions, along with eight repeat winners, received the second annual Dorothy S. McAuliffe School Nutrition award presented by No Kid Hungry Virginia in September.

The Dorothy S. McAuliffe School Nutrition Award celebrates Virginia school divisions that have gone above and beyond by operating all available federal child nutrition programs and achieving stellar participation in the school breakfast program. The award is named in honor of former First Lady of Virginia, Dorothy McAuliffe, in recognition of her efforts to end childhood hunger in the Commonwealth.

“This year’s school division winners are great examples of how to effectively implement and expand nutrition programs so their students have access to the nutrition they need to succeed in the classroom and lead healthy lives” said Mrs. McAuliffe. “Virginia has become a national model for ending childhood hunger and these school divisions are leading the way across the Commonwealth and throughout the country.”

First-time 2018 winners include Danville City Public Schools; Harrisonburg City Public Schools; Pulaski County Public Schools; Southampton County Public Schools and Staunton City Public Schools, where each school division was recognized for their commitment to ensuring no child goes hungry in the Commonwealth. Bristol City Public Schools, Buchanan County Public Schools, Colonial Beach Public Schools, Henry County Public Schools, Newport News Public Schools, Richmond City Public Schools, Westmoreland Public Schools and West Point Public Schools were all recognized for the second year in a row and awarded with a certificate for their continued commitment to school nutrition programs.

“No Kid Hungry is excited to award so many new school divisions, as well as recognize divisions that continue to ensure that kids in their communities have access to nutritious meals,” said Claire Mansfield, No Kid Hungry Virginia state director. “Thanks to our strong public-private partnerships and commitment from community members, school leaders, teachers, staff and school nutrition teams, we’ve been able to help connect more schools with federal nutrition programs that help children thrive and make strides toward ending childhood hunger across the Commonwealth.”

To qualify for the award, school divisions must meet the following criteria:

  • School Breakfast: At least 70% of students who qualify for free/reduced meals and eat school lunch are also eating school breakfast.
  • Afterschool Meals: Division is sponsoring and serving meals/snacks through the At-Risk Afterschool Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), if eligible.
  • Summer Meals: Division is sponsoring and serving summer meals through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO), if eligible.

Schools can play a critical role in getting children the nutrition they need to fuel their bodies and their brains. Programs like school breakfast, afterschool meals, and summer meals help feed kids throughout the school day and in the summertime. Parents trust schools to provide healthy, nutritious meals and look to schools as reliable sources of information about community programs.

Schools effectively feeding children and preventing hunger benefit from better attendance, reduced tardiness, fewer visits to the nurse’s office, and better academic performance. Academic success improves the success for the community as a whole.

No Kid Hungry Virginia partners with schools and districts to connect eligible kids to federal nutrition programs. The nonprofit shares best practices via webinars and educational events, along with expanding access to meal programs through grants. Visit va.nokidhungry.org for more information about No Kid Hungry Virginia’s work.