Searching for free school meals in your area? Run out of recipe ideas? Looking for ways to exercise at home? Anthony Newman has got your back.

Anthony Newman, former NFL player and Oregon Duck, tackles health issues for kids and teens in our short video series, “Staying Healthy with Anthony Newman.”

Where to Find Free School Meals

Anthony Newman shares information on where to find free school meals in your area.  Free school meals are available to ALL kids and teens age 1-18.  Not just those in school.  No ID or registration is needed at pick up.  And they’re delicious and healthy!

For more information, visit these sites:

Full listing of school meal sites at oregonhunger.org
https://www.summerfoodoregon.org/map/

• For more information call 211 or your local school district.
https://www.211info.org/food

• List of Oregon school districts:
https://www.greatschools.org/schools/districts/Oregon/OR/

Staying Active at Home

Looking for some free and fun ways to stay active at home? Anthony shares exercise tips along with some easy ways to create your own activities at home.

Try GoNoodle and Move to Learn for more fun and free activities!

Taking Care of Yourself at Home

Self-care is an important part of staying on track while staying at home. Anthony shares information on the importance of sleeping, eating well, and how kids can establish a healthy routine during this time.

Try Oregon’s Distance Learning for All for learning resources in Oregon.

Ways to Stay Connected at Home

Feeling lonely or disconnected? Anthony provides tips on how to cultivate a positive attitude while staying safe and socially distancing.

Food Hero Smoothie Recipe

Who likes smoothies? You will after watching this video! Anthony shows you how easy it is to eat healthy at home with a recipe from Food Hero, a website chock-full of easy and nutritious recipes kids can make at home.

Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Remember to Stay Safe, Stay Smart and Stay Healthy!

RELATED LINKS:

Help Spread the Word So Oregon Kids Don’t Go Hungry

Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy

Be a Food Hero: Cooking With Kids (VIDEO)

Dairy Community Responding, Adjusting to COVID-19 Impacts

Meal programs are getting nutritious food to children ages 1 to 18 in school districts statewide thanks to dedicated school nutrition professionals around the state with the support and partnership of Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs.

According to No Kid Hungry, one in six American children faces hunger and three out of four teachers report regularly seeing hungry kids in their classrooms. Oregon ranks especially high in food insecurity for youth. When school lets out unexpectedly for something like COVID-19, it poses potential problems for many students who depend on school meals.

That’s why many school districts are now providing drive up or walk up, “grab-and-go” meals at selected school sites for all youth from 1 to 18 years old at no cost, regardless of income. These meals meet strict regulations for nutrition and are provided at no charge, with no need to sign up or show identification. Some school districts are even delivering meals to children through their bus routes. This way of distributing meals has created a new set of logistical challenges in keeping food, especially milk and dairy products, fresh.

Seeing this immediate need, the ODNC Youth Wellness team quickly created a program on behalf of Oregon dairy producers and processors to provide portable coolers to support the new meal programs. 200 portable coolers were shipped across the state to help 32 school districts keep milk cold for grab and go meals as well as meals delivered on bus routes. “The coolers are helping us to serve safer meals to our kids by keeping the cold and warm things separate,” says Cheryl Davis, head cook for Spray School District.

As closures were announced for the continuation of the school year, and unemployment numbers skyrocket, these grab-and-go programs continue to grow. Nutrition directors in Oregon and across the country anticipate the numbers will continue to rise as households are affected more long term and consume their existing and emergency food supplies.

Check out a meal site near you, and help spread the word on your social media accounts and in your community to help families with kids and teens ages 1 to 18.

Find a list compiled by Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon at this link, or call 211 for more information.

Oregon, Washington school districts offer meals to students amid coronavirus closures KATU, March 15