Getting food into students' bellies is a SNAP at local schools

My name is Liz McLaughlin and I am the SNAP-Ed Educator for Carlton County. I deliver classes and curricula to individuals and families — from elementary school students to older adults — who are eligible for SNAP benefits or other federal assistance programs.

The past year I worked with the Cloquet Area Alternative Education Program, Northern Lights Academy, Washington and Churchill Elementary schools, Fond Du Lac Ojibwe School, the Cloquet Public Library after-school programs, churches and community centers.

One of the great partnerships this past year has been with the Cloquet Area Alternative Education Program. The school principal identified the top concerns of nutrition education with an emphasis on how to prepare fresh fruit and vegetables and diabetes prevention. The school had already started a food shelf to address the extreme food insecurity experienced by students, and together we decided to build the inventory by bringing in fresh fruits and vegetables.

After a survey indicated about half the students would use the food pantry at least once per week, it was decided to expand the newly named Phoenix Food Pantry. The United Way of Carlton County donated a refrigerator for storing fresh produce and Super One Foods donated a gift card to stock the pantry. In order to prevent waste, the school agreed to collaborate with the Cloquet Public Library and share perishable foods in the effort to provide healthy snacks for their after-school programming.

Programs planned for this summer include “Cooking Matters for Teens” cooking classes (partnered with the REACH Mentoring Program) and a Children’s Garden in Residence (partnered with Carlton County Master Gardeners and Kids Corner School Age Childcare).

SNAP-Ed also supports the One Vegetable, One Community initiative. OVOC is designed to increase access to fresh, healthy food for everyone in our community by planting and preparing a single vegetable — the carrot is the vegetable of the year for 2019 — to share stories, recipes, growing tips, enthusiasm and inspire new ideas for building a better, more resilient and inclusive food system.

Free seed packet starter kits are available at the Cloquet Public Library, Cloquet Salvation Army, Moose Lake and Cromwell food shelves, and the Carlton County Extension office.