Food Fuels Learning:
A Portland Public Schools Food Security Needs Assessment
The product of a year-long, community-driven process, this report is an unprecedented approach to understanding Portland's school system and food security programming through five key areas: charitable food programs, federal nutrition programs, school gardens, nutrition education, and sustainable food practices.
The Portland School District provides education to 6,795 students in fifteen schools located in Cumberland County, Maine. More than half of these students (3,560) are eligible for free lunch, which means that they live in a household at or below 130% of the poverty line. For example, if the student lives in a family of four people, the household will have an annual income between $0 and $31,980. Childhood hunger is a real and pressing issue in our community.
We encourage all members of the school community, and partner organizations that serve schools, to read and share widely these important findings and recommendations.
The Portland School District provides education to 6,795 students in fifteen schools located in Cumberland County, Maine. More than half of these students (3,560) are eligible for free lunch, which means that they live in a household at or below 130% of the poverty line. For example, if the student lives in a family of four people, the household will have an annual income between $0 and $31,980. Childhood hunger is a real and pressing issue in our community.
We encourage all members of the school community, and partner organizations that serve schools, to read and share widely these important findings and recommendations.
