{"id":12264,"date":"2024-08-28T22:32:05","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T22:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/georgia\/?p=12264"},"modified":"2025-05-05T21:19:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T21:19:37","slug":"coming-together-what-summer-means-for-gordon-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/georgia\/2024\/08\/28\/coming-together-what-summer-means-for-gordon-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Coming Together: What Summer Means for Gordon County"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]Amidst the hot and busy summer, dedicated staff are in a frenzy trying to turn off some malfunctioning sprinklers that suddenly went off in their freezer. For 45 minutes straight, they all jump in eagerly to find a solution and clean the mess. Even after the unfortunate accident, they willingly adapted and reconfigured their whole day. Nicole Head, Gordon County\u2019s Nutrition Director, is in awe as she sees the depth of what her summer staff does each and every day.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” bg_color=”#f26722″ scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\n

Gordon County has one of the highest numbers of summer meals served in the state: 300,000 meals.\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]This is all made possible because of the tight knit community that plays all kinds of roles and complements each other in crucial ways.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reaching the Community<\/b><\/h2>\n

When asked what is the key to a successful, sustainable summer feeding program, Nicole Head emphasizes \u201cincredible staff\u201d over and over again. Internally, she receives great support from cafeteria staff that already make nutritious meals for kids. At the same time, para professionals, the maintenance department, and principals collaborate with her to conduct outreach to students and families, put together flyers, and even provide vans needed to make the program work. Athletic directors and coaches also play an important role in reaching kids, as they host popular camps during the summer months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past couple years, Nicole has found new opportunities and learnings by developing external relationships with those outside of the school system and nutrition space. \u201cWe have one specific place that I think of because it’s close [to school] and a lot of our community in that area only has one vehicle. So if we set up in that park, it’s safe for the one parent that stays home to walk to with their children, and it’s close to the actual school where we are,\u201d says Nicole. This is what pushed Nicole to pursue a relationship with the Parks and Recreation Department. With their support, Nicole was able to set up a summer meal site at a busy splash pad. Collaborations with these external partners make it easier for families to have access to food in the summer – an utmost priority for Nicole and her team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Innovation Through Invaluable Insights<\/b><\/h2>\n

Another critical relationship for Gordon County\u2019s summer non-congregate feeding program has been with Gordon County\u2019s Department of Transportation. Recently, the school district invested in software that identifies student demographics in the district. \u201cWe can zoom into a neighborhood and we can see if there’s one student in the house, if there’s multiple students in the house, things like that,\u201d Nicole explains.\u00a0 She sat down with their transportation director and her operation specialist, and \u201cjust looked at where the households are heavily populated and where we just have a lot of students. If we were getting close to those places, if they were having to walk far or anything like that, and how we could get closer to those households that do have a heavy population, or even the neighborhoods that have a heavy population that would have to drive far.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Through this innovative software and partnership, Nicole is able to pinpoint her communities\u2019 needs and make her non-congregate summer program even more impactful. This flourishing summer feeding program would not exist without the partnerships and skills of all kinds of individuals. A big reason we see these proactive, invested relationships is because many share the same sentiment: \u201cit’s not just about the Gordon County students and families, it’s the Gordon County community.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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