As meals insecurity continues to rise in Maine, Jobs for Maine’s Graduates and Full Plates Full Potential are excited to announce a brand new student-led collaboration targeted on growing consciousness of pupil starvation, and making certain that each Maine youngster is ready to entry faculty meals. Previous to the pandemic, greater than 43 % of all public faculty college students within the state trusted faculty meal applications to fight starvation.
“Meals insecurity amongst college students in Maine has elevated considerably because the begin of the pandemic. Upwards of 100,000 Maine youngsters aren’t getting sufficient meals at residence,” mentioned Justin Strasburger, government director of Full Plates Full Potential, a coalition of neighborhood leaders and advocates working to finish childhood starvation in Maine. “That could be a big quantity, and too a lot of them both don’t know in regards to the meal applications obtainable at their colleges or, for one motive or one other, are unable to entry them. By teaming up with JMG, we hope to succeed in these college students and break down the limitations which might be stopping them from taking part in these meal applications.”
JMG is the one statewide non-public nonprofit in Maine offering a continuum of help to college students from grades 6 via post-secondary training. JMG companions with over 100 colleges from as far south as Sanford to as far north as Fort Kent, making it the best accomplice to assist deal with the difficulty of meals insecurity in our colleges. The initiative will begin as a pilot mission this fall in 10 colleges, with JMG college students taking a lead function.
“The scholars, and their JMG Specialists, might be answerable for figuring out points that contribute to meals insecurity of their particular person colleges and dealing towards options,” mentioned Craig Larrabee, president and CEO of JMG. “Whether or not meaning growing consciousness of the meal applications, or having a look at potential stigmas related to faculty meals, it’s vital that we tackle these issues.”
Below the management of Senate President Troy Jackson, Home Speaker Ryan Fecteau, and Assistant Minority Chief Matt Pouliot, the Maine Legislature just lately handed what’s extensively thought of probably the most important piece of laws in its historical past to handle youngster starvation in Maine. The College Meals for All regulation ensures that each one Maine college students have entry to high school meals with out cost. Whereas this can be a monumental step towards meals fairness for kids, value is however one impediment that may maintain youngsters from accessing the meals they should develop up sturdy and wholesome. A lot work stays together with lowering stigma round faculty meals – a key focus of the JMG/FPFP collaboration.
“As I’ve mentioned many instances over the previous few weeks, no youngster ought to go hungry in school or spend time worrying about the place their subsequent meal will come from. With this regulation, we’re taking an enormous step ahead in the direction of ending childhood starvation in Maine,” mentioned Jackson. “Whereas I’m proud to sponsor this invoice, this was a group effort that might not have occurred with out the sturdy advocacy and help from Jobs for Maine’s Graduates, Full Plates Full Potential and so many others. I’m so grateful to the JMG college students who confirmed as much as testify in help of the invoice on the public listening to and I’m assured that their new partnership with Full Plates Full Potential will construct on the energy of this regulation and guarantee our college students get the help they deserve.”
Fecteau co-sponsored the laws. “Rising up meals insecure, I perceive the stress youngsters and their households really feel once they don’t have entry to nutritious meals. Maine is main the nation in eliminating limitations to high school meals, lowering stigma and making certain success for all college students. The truth that Maine’s community of JMG college students goes to contribute to this effort means a lot.”
Pouliot helped lead the passage of the regulation. “Everyone knows that it’s onerous to pay attention or get one thing achieved if you find yourself hungry or haven’t eaten,” Pouliot mentioned. “Because of this initiative youngsters may have meals, colleges is not going to have to gather cash, college students and households is not going to have to fret about having cash for meals in school, and all college students have had equal entry to meals and correct vitamin ensuring they’re able to be taught. On the identical time, JMG is among the many best instructional organizations in Maine, so their involvement on this partnership actually assures it is going to be profitable.”
Crucial to this partnership is the monetary help coming from Maine’s enterprise neighborhood together with Financial institution of America and Central Maine Energy. “Via donations and volunteering, Central Maine Energy has supported Jobs for Maine’s Graduates for years and extra just lately we’ve partnered with Full Plates Full Potential,” mentioned Scott Mahoney, CMP interim president. “CMP is happy to proceed our help of those organizations by utilizing shareholder {dollars} to take a position on this student-led mission that empowers pupil voices within the effort to finish pupil starvation in Maine.”
The varsity districts concerned within the pilot embrace Sanford, Windham, Lisbon, RSU 3, RSU 9, Skowhegan, Bangor, Brewer, Machias, and Calais.
JMG is a statewide, non-public nonprofit working with college students who face limitations to training. JMG supplies greater than 10,000 college students a yr with the talents and expertise they might want to graduate from highschool, attain post-secondary credentials, and pursue significant careers. JMG graduates develop into partaking members of their communities, productive adults within the workforce, and contributors to Maine’s economic system. Study extra at jmg.org.
Full Plates Full Potential is on a mission to finish youngster meals insecurity in Maine by maximizing participation in USDA sponsored youngster vitamin applications. Throughout the state, practically 100,000 youngsters depend on these meals each day. Full Plates supplies technical and monetary help to varsities and neighborhood organizations to assist feed youngsters now, whereas advocating for systemic adjustments essential to make sure that all Maine’s youngsters have constant entry to nutritious meals. For extra info, go to fullplates.org.
