Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program at BJM

What a delight it was last week to take this photo of John Simon

and Friends at Beverly J. Martin (BJM) Elementary School in Ithaca

wearing their Silk Oak Fruit & Veggie shirts for the cover of

their upcoming CD to support their innovative snack program.

It was particularly nostalgic for me as 5 of my 6 kids went

to BJM, formerly Central. I spent a lot of time there from 1977

till 1994 and the Library/Auditorium, in particular,

has to be one of the finest in our school district.

This past year, the NY Coalition for Healthy School Food,

in conjunction with the Village at Ithaca, GreenStar

Community Projects, the Park Foundation and other local

non profits funded a pilot program to introduce children in

school to fresh veggies and fruits for snacks, instead of

the usual highly processed snacks that they were used to.

For many students, these were the only fresh veggies that

they got that day. It was also an introduction to the flavor

of pure unadulterated, fresh produce. What a wonderful

opportunity to influence their lifelong food and dietary

choices!

Understandably, a program like this costs money that a

struggling NYS budget can't fund. They are still in need

of funding to finish this school year, as well as fund the

program in the fall. If you would like to make a donation,

go to http://www.healthyschoolfood.org/, click on donate

now and choose the Healthy Fruit & Vegetable Snack

Program in Ithaca. You can also contact Village at Ithaca

at http://www.villageatithaca.org/ and donate in the

name of the program.

If you still need more inspiration, take 15 minutes to watch

the video that NY Coalition for Healthy School Food

made about the program. I was touched, moved &

inspired!

http://www.healthylunches.org/video.htm