Education Department Highlights Importance of Nutritious Meals and Reading for Young Students

YORK, Pa., July 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ Today, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Executive Deputy Secretary David Volkman visited the Martin Memorial Library in York, where he helped volunteers serve free lunches to children as part of the Summer Food Service Program.

Also during the visit, Volkman read the book, Daniel Finds a Poem, to the group of attending children. The book is the 2017 selection for the commonwealth's One Book, Every Young Child celebration, which is a literacy initiative to highlight the importance of early literacy development in children. It is a collaboration between PDE's Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL) and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).

"The Department of Education and the Wolf Administration understand the importance in promoting the health of the whole child, which encompasses physical, mental, and emotional well-being," said Dr. Volkman. "Both the Summer Food Service Program and the One Book, Every Young Child initiative help ensure Pennsylvania's students are feeding their minds and bodies, even during the summer months when school is out of session."

Volkman added that access to funding and resources plays a key role in ensuring student health and wellness, and the more than $640 million in additional funding Governor Wolf has secured since taking office in 2015 demonstrates Pennsylvania's commitment to its students and schools.

During the summer of 2016, 295 organizations participated in the Summer Food Service Program, providing nutritious meals to children at more than 2,600 locations throughout the state, however to reach more children and narrow the hunger gap that summer may bring, more organizations and meal sites are needed throughout the state, especially in rural areas.

The Summer Food Service Program, which began in 1976, is a federally-funded child nutrition program designed to reach those who are age 18 or younger in economically disadvantaged areas. People over 18 who are mentally or physically handicapped and participate in public or nonprofit private programs established for the disabled are also able to receive free meals at the Summer Food Service Program sites.

For more information on Summer Food Service sites and providers, please visit the USDA website at www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks.

MEDIA CONTACT: Casey Smith, 717-783-9802

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Education