One of The Montana Food Bank Network's strategies for significantly increasing the number of concerned Montanans who are directly engaged in fighting hunger is to broaden grassroots community outreach and education activities. While the Create-A-Meal Program is designed to educate thousands of Montana's children about the contemporary state of hunger in Montana, there are three distinct objectives surrounding this goal:
Increase awareness of hunger issues within their local community
Expand the student's knowledge of the nutritional value of donated food
Create an opportunity for student involvement as community partners
The Create-A-Meal Program targets 4th and 6th grade students. The program provides curriculum and resource guides for teachers to teach proper nutrition and to encourage the importance of maintaining the five food groups in their diet. Once this portion of the program has been completed in the classroom, the Montana Food Bank Network's Tractor/Trailer truck is scheduled to visit the school.
Students tour the truck with its interpretive displays and learn about hunger around the state and how they can help in their own community.
Following the Network's visit, students will plan a food drive for their local food pantry. Using the information learned throughout this program, students plan and create nutritious meals for donation during the food drive.
This project was made possible through funding from
Smith Food and Drug and the Fred Meyer Foundation
Federal Poverty Level Income for a family of 3 = $1,383/month
Less average Montana rent for family of 3
= $477/month
Less average Montana Childcare for 2 children
= $780/month
Monthly income remaining for utilities, transportation, healthcare and food
= $126/month
