Sodexo's 'Feeding Our Future®' Program Provides 13,000 Summer Lunches to Atlanta Children

/PRNewswire/ -- Leveraging a $20,000 "Feeding Our Future®" grant from the Sodexo Foundation, the Sodexo account at UPS Headquarters and The Coca-Cola Company celebrated serving 13,000 free lunches to Atlanta's children. Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young acknowledged volunteers for their efforts during a special barbeque held for city youth yesterday at the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA. Sodexo's Feeding Our Future program provides school children who rely on free and reduced-price meals during the academic year with nutritious lunches during the summer break.

"With nearly one in four children living in households that find it increasingly difficult to put food on the table, there are bound to be additional challenges when the school doors close for the summer," said Stephen J. Brady, president of the Sodexo Foundation. "As the leading food service provider to public schools throughout this country, we understand the needs that exist and we are determined to make a positive impact that leads to the elimination of hunger in this country."

Every day, an estimated 17 million U.S. children rely on school breakfast and lunch programs as their only guaranteed meals. When schools shut down for the summer, federal meal programs feed only about three million, leaving 13 million children at risk for hunger. To help bridge this gap, the Sodexo Foundation, the independent charitable organization of Sodexo, Inc., has provided free lunches to children through its summer feeding program, Feeding Our Future, since 1997. The Sodexo Foundation provides grants to local Sodexo accounts to purchase food for the meals and local Sodexo employees prepare the meals each day.

In addition to Atlanta, Feeding Our Future will be providing more than 300,000 summer lunches in 19 other cities in the United States: Boston, Mass., Buffalo, N.Y., Camden, N.J., Chattanooga, Tenn., Chicago, Ill., Denver, Colo., Detroit, Mich., Fort Worth, Texas, Honolulu, Hawaii, Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, Calif., Miami, Fla., New York, N.Y., Oklahoma City, Okla., San Jose, Calif., St. Cloud, Minn., St. Louis, Mo., Terre Haute, Ind. and Washington, D.C.

Feeding Our Future is a program of the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization supporting hunger-related initiatives that focus on eliminating the root causes of hunger in the U.S. Sodexo pays all administrative costs of the Foundation to ensure that all money raised is directed to those in need.

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Kedron Elementary Receives Target Grant for Children’s Theater

Kedron Elementary School Principal Karen Bullock and fifth grade teacher Carla Zonneveld pose with Peachtree City Target representatives Cynthia Burnett and Lynn Jacobs.

Students at Kedron Elementary in Peachtree City are going to star in their own full-scale musical, complete with professional sets and costumes, thanks to the generosity of Target.

Fifth grade teacher Carla Zonneveld was instrumental in helping Kedron receive a $5,000 Target grant to bring the Missoula Children’s Theater to the school in 2009. The grant will fund the weeklong residency of two professional actors/directors who arrive in town with all the costumes, props and sets necessary for a full-scale musical production. The only thing missing is the cast, which is where the students become involved.

The week begins with a casting call on where 50-60 students are selected to fill the roles of a popular children’s story that has been adapted to a musical. Other students will serve as backstage directors, helping with the curtains and lighting and making sure that the actors enter the stage on cue. By Saturday, after a week of intensive rehearsals involving memorizing lines, learning songs and practicing choreography, the students put on two public performances. Tickets are sold to the community for both performances with the school keeping all of the proceeds, which will be used to bring the theatrical group back to the school the following year.

“Bringing a program to a school that will make a lasting impact on some of its students is not difficult, but introducing one that will change the lives of an entire school community is nearly impossible,” say Zonneveld.

This grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Since opening its doors, Target has given 5 percent of its income to organizations that support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism. Today, that translates into more than $3 million every week.

Zonneveld says the Missoula Children’s Theater experience will give students the confidence and skills they need to be effective students while instilling important character traits that they will use for the rest of their lives.

“I have witnessed first-hand the effect this type of training can have on a large group of children. As my daughter attended rehearsals after school, I began to see the whole group changing. By performance day, I was in awe of the talent being displayed with complete confidence. Even the youngest children had developed the discipline and demeanor of seasoned performers,” says Zonneveld.

Schools can apply for Target grants between March 1 and May 31 of each year. Target funds arts programs that bring the arts to schools or make it affordable for youth and families to participate in cultural experiences such as touring programs, field trips to the theater or symphony or artist in residencies and workshops in schools.

“I hope that with the generous support of this grant we will be able to start a tradition of showcasing the arts in our community and changing the lives of many generations of Kedron Knights to come,” says Zonneveld.

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Fayette DFACS Updates Needs for Upcoming School Year

This is an update for the needs of our children for the upcoming school year:

We are continuing to take requests from DFCS case workers and soon will get requests from school counselors for children who need school supplies. I am attaching a generic list for those of you who might want to help with this project and have not contacted me yet. So far, we have 173 referrals. About 100 of these are already sponsored. We anticipate serving about 450 children through this project.

We also have a school clothing project. Some of you have participated in this project, which we started in 2003. We have had 594 referrals to date, and anticipate about 20-30 requests before school starts on August 11, and a few more after school starts. These children are referred by DFCS case workers or school counselors as well. If you would like to shop for clothing for a specific child or donate a gift card, please contact me for more details, ASAP.

As always, I appreciate you so very much! You truly make a difference for families in our county. Please pass on to your circles if you think they would want to help too!

Sharon Herbert,
Community Resource Specialist
Fayette County DFCS
Fayette County School Supplies – Generic List - 2007

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten:

Crayola Crayons, 16 count
5” fiskar scissors
Crayola markers, fine tip, 8 pack
Waterless anti-bacterial soap
Index cards, 3x5, plain
Large box of tissue
Elmer’s jumbo glue sticks
No. 2 pencils
Paper towels
Jumbo pencils with erasers
3x5 index card file box with A-Z dividers
Box of Ziploc gallon size bags
Box of Ziploc snack size bags
Box of crayola markers, thick classic
Wide ruled notebook paper

First Grade:

No. 2 pencils
Crayola washable thick classic markers
Crayola washable thin classic markers
Pocket folders with brads (various colors)
Glue sticks
Elmer’s school glue, 4 oz.
Crayola crayons, 16 count
Crayola watercolors, 8 color set
Fiskar scissors, 5”
Wide ruled notebook paper
Box of tissue
Paper towels
Composition notebook, hard cover

Second Grade:

Clipboard standard letter size
Composition book, 70 count, wide rule
Crayola crayons, 24 count
Erasers, pencil cap
Folder, 2 pocket with brads (various colors)
Glue sticks, Elmer’s
3x5 index cards, 100 count, ruled
3x5 A to Z index file card guides
3x5 index file box
Crayola classic set, thick markers
Expo chisel tip dry erase, 4 pack
No. 2 pencils
Fiskar 5” scissors,
Box of tissue
Crayola, washable watercolors
Wide ruled notebook paper

Third Grade:

Notebook dividers with pockets and tabs
Subject dividers for notebooks
No.2 pencils
Crayola crayons, 24 count
Fiskar scissors, 5”
Highlighter, yellow
Elmer’s glue, 4 oz.
Glue sticks
Assorted dry erase markers
Pink pearl large eraser
Paper towels
Box of tissue
2 pocket folder with brads, assorted colors
Crayola colored pencils, 12 pack
2” binder, 3 ring
Crayola washable markers
Pencil top erasers
Ziplock baggies
Wide ruled notebook paper

Fourth Grade:

Set of assorted highlighters
Pack of Expo dry erase markers, assorted colors
Notebook dividers with tabs
Clipboard, 9x12.5”
Box of tissue
No. 2 pencils
Cap erasers
Crayola colored pencils, 12 pack
Wide ruled filler paper
Black sharpie marker
Pack of assorted markers
Fiskar scissors, 5”
Elmer’s glue stick, small
2 pocket folders with brads, assorted colors
Pencil holder for binder
3x5 lined index cards
4x6 ruled index cards, white, 100 count

Fifth Grade:

Highlighters, assorted colors
Colored pencils, 12 count
Red medium point ink pen
Wide ruled filler paper
50 count graph paper, 4 square inch
No. 2 pencils
Elmer’s glue stick
Pocket folders with brads, assorted colors
Protractor
Compass
Box of tissue
Paper towels
Black fine point dry erase marker
Vinyl pencil bag for binder
Fiskar scissors, 7”
4x6, 100 count ruled index cards
¾ inch Magic Scotch tape with dispenser
2” binder, 3 rings

Sixth Grade:

Large 3 ring binder
Notebook pocket dividers
Zippered pencil case
Black and red pens (no gel pens)
Colored pencils
Assorted highlighters
No. 2 pencils
Graph paper
Hole reinforcers
Covers for all books
Box of tissue
Expo dry erase markers, low odor
Wide ruled notebook paper

Seventh Grade:

Large 3 ring binder
Pocket folders with brads, assorted colors
No. 2 pencils
Black and red pens
Yellow highlighters
Colored pencils
Notebook dividers
Ruler and protractor
Glue sticks
Hole reinforcers
3x5 cards
Graph paper
Book Covers
Box of tissue
Expo dry erase markers, low odor
Wide ruled notebook paper

Eighth Grade:

Large 3 ring binder
Notebook dividers, no pockets
Pencil pouch
Blue, black, and red pens
Hole reinforcers
Glue sticks
3x5 cards on spiral
No. 2 pencils
Highlighters
Colored pencils
Box of tissue
Box of band-aids
Pack of AAA batteries
Expo dry erase markers, low odor
Wide ruled notebook paper

Ninth through Twelfth Grade:

Notebook paper, college ruled
No. 2 pencils
Cap Erasers
Pencil pouch
Assorted pocket folders with brads
Erasable pens, black or blue
Small notebook
Large 3 ring binder
Notebook dividers with tabs
3x5 index cards
Assorted highlighters
Colored pencils

Champions for Children Starts July 1 in Fayette

Beginning July 1 for families in Fayette County!
The Champions for Children Program is designed to primarily assist children and families that do not meet the eligibility requirements for the TEFRA/Katie Beckett Medicaid program. The program will provide direct financial assistance and support services for Georgia’s medically fragile and special needs children and their families.

Dear Georgia Families of Children with Exceptional Needs:

As you may be aware, the Easter Seals Georgia Coalition was awarded the grant for the Champions for Children with Exceptional Needs Initiative. Included in the Coalition are Easter Seals Southern Georgia, Easter Seals North Georgia, Easter Seals West Georgia, Easter Seals East Georgia, Easter Seals Middle Georgia and Parent to Parent of Georgia. The Champions for Children Program is funded by a $4.87 million five-year grant from The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. This grant was made possible by a one-time 2006 Georgia legislative allocation.

The Easter Seals Georgia Coalition is pleased to announce the implementation of the Champions for Children Program in the following counties beginning July 1, 2008. Families in these counties will be served by Easter Seals North Georgia.

Banks Floyd Newton
Barrow Forsyth Oconee
Bartow Franklin Paulding
Catoosa Fulton Pickens
Chattooga Gilmer Polk
Cherokee Gordon Rabun
Clark Gwinnett Rockdale
Clayton Habersham Stephens
Cobb Hall Towns
Dade Henry Union
Dawson Jackson Walker
DeKalb Lumpkin Walton
Douglas Madison White
Fannin Morgan Whitfield
Fayette Murray

Families living in the counties served by Easter Seals East Georgia, Middle Georgia and West Georgia will be able to access the program beginning October 1st. For more information on the Easter Seals affiliates and the counties they serve, please visit our website at www.easterseals.com

The Champions for Children Program is designed to primarily assist children and families that do not meet the eligibility requirements for the TEFRA/Katie Beckett Medicaid program. The program will provide direct financial assistance and support services for Georgia’s medically fragile and special needs children and their families. An Easter Seals Champions for Children Coordinator will work directly with families to determine eligibility, identify service needs as described by the family and connect them with resources and services.

Families residing in the counties listed above may access services by calling the Easter Seals Coalition toll free number: 1-866-584-3742. A website for the Easter Seals Champions for Children’s Program is under development and is scheduled to be operational by June 20th. A description of the Champions for Children Program, the application for services and other information will be available on the site www.championsforchildrenga.org.

While the $500,000 in annual funding over the next five years will be a wonderful resource for families, we recognize that all needs will not be addressed. However, the Easter Seals Georgia Coalition is committed to serving the needs of children and families to the greatest extent possible using a family friendly approach.

The Easter Seals Georgia Coalition wants to ensure that a simple and effective process is put in place, which is why we are rolling out the Champions for Children Program in stages. We realize that many of you will have specific questions about the eligibility criteria for the Champions for Children Program and the application process.

We promise to keep you informed as we roll out the program throughout the state, and other ways that we seek to serve your family. We also promise later on to provide you with an opportunity for your feedback on the Coalition and how we might improve services.

Yours in Service,
Easter Seals Georgia Coalition