November 17, 2022 at 12:25 p.m.
Hodag Kids: Because full bellies make strong bodies, smart brains and happy hearts
Hodag Kids: Because full bellies make strong bodies, smart brains and happy hearts
By Rhinelander Area Food Pantry-
RAFP provides supplemental groceries for households experiencing food insecurity in Oneida County. In addition, RAFP provides programs for children and youth focused on filling the nutrition gap. According to the 2020 Census, children and youth in Oneida County make up 17% of the population and 10% experience living in poverty. In 2021, the School District of Rhinelander reported that 53.5% of students are economically disadvantaged. Through Hodag Kids, RAFP partners with other community organizations to provide food for kids.
Hodag Kids consists of three main programs: Weekend Food For Kids, The Hodag Food Wagon and Hodag Snack Attack. These programs are funded by the support of our community through individual donations and grants.
Weekend Food For Kids (WFFK), now in its 11th year, is a program in partnership with the School District of Rhinelander. This program is designed to provide students who qualify for free and reduced lunch with a bag of nutritious food for the weekend. Students and families can enroll in this program through their school counselor. RAFP consults with the UW Extension FoodWIse Program to ensure that the bags include a variety of healthy foods that are kid-friendly and easy to prepare. In 2021, WFFK served over 120 students and distributed over 15,000 pounds of food throughout the academic school year.
The Hodag Food Wagon, having completed its second year, is a program in partnership with the YMCA of the Northwoods, UW Extension FoodWIse Program, and the Rhinelander District Library. This program provides a free weekly sack lunch for children and youth and does not require registration.
Lunch bags are available for pick up at the library and the YMCA Youth Development Center July through August.
The goal of this program is to reach children and youth that experience food insecurity during the summer months when other nutrition resources are limited. In the past two summers, over 2,000 bags were provided to our area youth.
The Hodag Snack Attack is RAFP's newest program to serve children and youth. The need for supplemental snacks for students during the school day was brought to our attention during the 2021-22 school year. In response, RAFP asked the Oneida County Leadership Program for help in developing a program to support the school community in meeting this need.
The result was a pilot program hosted in four elementary schools that provided healthy snacks for students. The Hodag Snack Attack was a success and launched this school year, expanding to serve James Williams Middle School with the goal to include Rhinelander High School. The Hodag Snack Attack provides another opportunity to continue to build our partnerships with the School District of Rhinelander and the UW Extension FoodWIse Program.
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