The New Haven Food Truck: Creating Healthy Kids and Strong Communities

We all have summer memories from when we were kids. One of my enduring summer memories is swimming at our local pool.  I spent lots of hours playing in the water and practicing with the swim team.

Unfortunately, for some children, their summer memories may not be such happy ones. For many low-income children, summer is a time of being hungry and undernourished because when school is closed for the summer, they donʼt have access to healthy, reliable meals like the ones they receive at school during the school year. Across Connecticut, 127,000 children go to bed hungry each night; only 25% of the children who are eligible for free and reduced price meals receive summer meals.  We know intuitively, and research confirms, that hunger and poor nutrition have a negative impact on childrenʼs academic achievement, physical health and mental health.

Which is why I am so proud to be a leader in the effort to get the New Haven Food Truck on the road this summer.  The Food Truck, made possible by United Way, will be able to serve up to 1000 meals a day to New Haven children and youth. In turn, that good food will help them be healthy, grow strong bodies, and keep their brains “turned on” for academic excellence. 

I think the Food Truck is not only important because of the way it is going to be able to improve lives, but also because itʼs a very real reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together. The problems our country faces right now seem so overwhelming, and the mood is so divisive, so acrimonious, you may sometimes feel like “What can I do? The problems are too big.”  When people and organizations who care about an issue come together and bring their creativity, energy, and financial resources together, they can do a lot of good.  But, we need more people to be part of that change.

So, consider this your invitation to join United Way to create a better community for all of us – for ourselves, for our children, and for our neighbor’s children.  Together, we can create positive change in our community.