Texas Rural School District Cohort
Meet this year’s Cohort:
Alline Bolt is the Food Service Director at Brookesmith ISD. Alline has so much love for her school, staff, and all 148 children that she serves. She is excited to use NKH Texas grant money to purchase an air fryer that will help to increase meal quality, and implement daily snacks and a Weekend Backpack Program for elementary kids. She has high hopes of expanding the program to include all grade levels.
Misty Stewart is in her first year as the Food Service Director at Junction ISD. She has over 5 years of experience in the food industry. She loves serving the kiddos in her community—it’s where her heart belongs! Misty is inspired daily by her two daughters, Haylee and Kendall, and her husband, Wade! In her free time, Misty loves to go camping and fishing with her family! Her goal for Junction ISD is to increase cafeteria eating for high school students.
Paula Garcia is the Child Nutrition Director at Slaton ISD, and has 13 years of experience feeding children within the K-12 grades. Paula prides herself in being able to craft menus that draw in students to eat breakfast and lunch daily. The district has recognized Paula’s contributions in increasing the breakfast participation to 87% and the lunch participation to 92%. Outside of work, Paula is an enthusiastic “Grammie” and mother, and loves spending time outdoors or by any body of water. Her goal for Slaton ISD is to build community involvement and awareness of childhood hunger.
Frequently asked questions:
No Kid Hungry Texas, in partnership with the Texas Rural Education Association, launched its’ second year of the Rural School District Cohort. This grant opportunity provides funding to rural school districts in Texas to support their work to maximize federal child nutrition programs and other programs that ensure children and families have access to healthy meals in their community.
No Kid Hungry Texas knows that rural school districts play an essential role in ensuring students receive the nutritious meals they need to reach their fullest potential. This flexible granting opportunity supports the work of rural Texas school districts in their efforts to connect children and families with meals.
Grant recipients take part in a school-year-long cohort, which runs from August – May, in which recipients meet virtually bi-monthly (every other month) with other cohort members to share promising practices in feeding students in their community and collaborate and ideate on the unique challenges that come with rural childhood hunger.
“Our families and community members learned more about our meal programs and our services as well as were very grateful for the additional nutrition/meal/snack support during times of hunger and need. This grant came to us during a very difficult time for communities hit hard by the pandemic and the winter storm. The community of Sinton, at times, was a food desert as food supply trucks could not get materials to the area due to the pandemic or the winter storm or the vendors shipments were restricted and the resources brought in were not enough to supply the community at large. It was during these times that our households expressed their deepest appreciation for the supplemental nutritious foods that we were able to provide via our partnership and participation in the NKH grant.” – Silke West at Sinton ISD
Online applications will open in Spring 2023!