Posts tagged as:

school lunches

Obama to sign Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

by Cassandra West December 11, 2010 Health
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Share President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will deliver remarks and the President will sign into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 on Monday, Dec. 13. Cabinet Secretaries, Congress members and advocacy group leaders who worked to promote and pass the Act with join the Obamas for the signing at Harriet [...]

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Federal grant helps Chicago fight childhood obesity

by Editor September 20, 2010 Health

Share By Susan Richardson Long before First Lady Michelle Obama put childhood obesity in the national spotlight, the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children was working to combat this health epidemic.  Last week, the federal government recognized the organization’s work when it announced that it had awarded nearly $6 million to the Consortium, which [...]

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USDA will expand support for school food gardens

by Editor September 7, 2010 Community gardening

Share By Susan Richardson Just in time for the beginning of the school year, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced a $1 million pilot program to develop and manage community gardens at high-poverty schools in five states. Funded through the National School Lunch Act, the program targets schools where 50 percent or more of [...]

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Chicago Public Schools to buy more produce from Illinois farmers

by Cassandra West July 16, 2010 Economic development
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Share The food service provider for Chicago Public Schools plans to increase the produce it buys from Illinois farmers. Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality is asking farmers to contract for $500,000 of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables in addition to the $1.8 million in local farm products purchased last year, the food service company said in a [...]

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Documentary explores history of the School Lunch Program

by Editor June 19, 2010 Agribusiness

Share By Susan Richardson Lunch Line, a new documentary about the history of the school lunch program, comes at  an important time. The 64-year-old  program is up for reauthorization by Congress as part of the Child Nutrition Act, bringing attention to what children are eating, where it comes from and the role of the federal government  in ushering [...]

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Shabazz Food Hub connects farms and cities

by Editor May 27, 2010 Community
Greens

Share A young volunteer at Shabazz Food Hub Market Days By Susan Richardson The smell of mustard greens sautéed in olive oil with garlic fills the air in an auditorium at Betty Shabazz International Charter School in Chicago.  People browse and buy produce and seedlings on a Saturday afternoon. It is Market Day at the Shabazz [...]

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Oscar-Nominated Documentary Tackles Food Production

by Editor April 21, 2010 Grocery stores

Share By Susan Richardson Food, Inc., a documentary that explores America’s industrialized food system and its effect on the environment, health, and economy, will be shown tonight, Wednesday, April 21, at 9 p.m. on WTTW 11.   The film, which was nominated for an Oscar, examines major issues surrounding food and food production: factory farming, genetic engineering, [...]

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Getting fresh food from the school vegetable garden

by Cassandra West April 3, 2010 Community

Share [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2GJt2eCMPE&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00] A Chicago high school senior tells what he thinks can improve school lunches: student-run vegetable gardens. Not only would lunches be more nutritional, students would learn where food comes from. Share

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