11/3/98
ATHENS, Ohio -- Kids on Campus has been awarded the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Sunshine Award as the most innovative program in the special populations category for summer meal projects.
The program, which provides nutritious meals and educational summer programming to Athens County elementary-age children from low-income families, was nominated for the award by the Midwest division of the Summer Food Program. Nominees from seven regional divisions competed for the national award.
The award will be presented Nov. 16 at the Summer Food Service Program conference in Arlington, Va.
"We are very pleased with the award," said Angie Cantrell, director of Kids on Campus. "We are different from a lot of programs because we focus on the whole child and not just the nutritional aspect. For a child to feel successful and to enjoy the program, we do things that are fun and educational."
The Kids on Campus program also provides health services to children such as hearing, vision and physical screenings.
The Ohio Summer Food Service Program, which recently completed its third year of support for Kids on Campus, is offered during school vacation periods and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service and the Ohio Department of Education. It was established to ensure that children from low-income families continue to receive nutritious meals during school vacations that are comparable to those served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs during the academic year.
Funding through the Summer Food Service Program helps Kids on Campus provide catered breakfasts and lunches through Ohio University Baker Catering. Funds also are provided by Bob Evans Farms.
Since Kids on Campus began in 1996, it has grown in members as well as in the variety of services it offers to families. The program, which served 440 children this past summer, involves a collaboration of five school districts, Ohio University, Hocking College and numerous county, state and federal agencies. Participating school districts are Athens, Nelsonville-York, Alexander, Federal Hocking and Trimble. Ohio University and Hocking College conduct the program on their campuses.