Starting tonight, kids in a rural West Tennessee county who rely on feeding services over the summer will take home a week’s worth of single-serve breakfasts and lunches and food for the whole family on weekends. It’s part of a pilot project funded by food giant ConAgra.
In Crockett County, 260 children will participate.
Marcia Wells of Mid-South Food Bank says Crockett County was selected because it has just one part-time food pantry, and 27 percent of children are considered “food insecure.”
“Food insecurity refers to people who may have had something to eat today, but don’t know if they’re going to have anything to eat tomorrow, the next day or the next month,” Wells said.
The pilot project also includes a Farmers Market-style mobile pantry and a nutrition education program that allows children to earn play money they can use to buy additional produce.
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