NOW (Nutrition On Weekends)
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Nutrition On Weekends (NOW) program is a collaborative, community effort targeting childhood hunger. The program provides healthy, ready-to-eat nutritious foods for children during the weekend, providing a safety net for children when they are not in the classroom and able to access school meals.
NOW was created in response to data collected in 2012 from Marshfield students as part of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. In this survey, 20% of students indicated he/she had gone to bed hungry at least once in the past thirty days because there was not enough food in the home. To directly address this issue, Marshfield Area United Way launched a pilot of the program in October 2013 serving twenty-nine children in the Marshfield School District.
Over the next two years, the program grew to serve 250-300 students weekly on an annual basis in the Marshfield, Auburndale, Granton and Spencer School Districts, as well as, Wood County Head Start. In the 2016-17 school year, Loyal and Greenwood School Districts were added to the program and then in 2017-18 Pittsville and Stratford Schools were added. Today the NOW program is serving between 400-450 students weekly and has grown to also serve the 4K programs at Grace Lutheran and the YMCA, St John the Baptist and Our Lady of Peace schools, as well as, virtual and homeschool students.
The latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from Marshfield area schools in 2021 showed that 16% of high school age students and 28% of middle school students indicated he/she had gone to bed hungry at least once in the past thirty days because there was not enough food in the home. At Marshfield Area United Way, we are continuing to develop the NOW program through relationships with school leadership and parental awareness & outreach to better reach these children and ensure no child goes to sleep hungry.
TOP FIVE NEEDS
- Cereal
- Animal Crackers
- Goldfish Crackers
- Granola Bars
- Fruit Snacks
SPONSORSHIPS
For $140, a child will receive supplemental food packs for the entire school year. To sponsor a child, please click on the button below:
