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News Source: Catholic Philly

As we wrap up National Nutrition Month, we’d like to recognize the finalists and winners of our 2019 Placemat & Slogan Contest! Students from NDS-sponsored schools were invited to submit original artwork that encourages healthy eating and physical activity and/or promotes School Lunch or Breakfast. Three finalists from each grade category (K-2nd, 3rd-6th, & 7th- 12th) advanced to the voting phase in which voters chose their favorite placemat by ‘liking’ the placemat the NDS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NdsSchoolLunchProgram/. 2019 Placemat Winners: Bryanna - Blessed Trinity Regional Catholic School (K-2nd) Madeline - Good Shepherd Catholic School (3rd-6th) Luigi - Good Shepherd Catholic School (7th-12th)   2019 Placemat Finalists: (K-2nd): Chloe- St. Rose of Lima, Katherine- St. Joseph Pro Cathedral, Bryanna- Blessed Trinity School (3rd-6th): Ava, Indit & Mak- St. Monica Senior School, Lauren- Mother of Providence, Madeline- Good Shepherd (7th-12th): Jordan- St. Peter the Apostle, Jose- St. Joseph Pro Cathedral School, Luigi- Good Shepherd   There were ten winning slogans which will be featured on the NDS School Lunch menus for the 2019-2020 School Year! The winning slogans included: “Healthy food will enlighten your mood!”- Jaden, St. Joseph Pro Cathedral School “Feed your brains and eat your grains!”- Janna, St. Joseph Pro Cathedral School “Eat healthy day and night, to keep your future looking bright!”- Journey, St. Peter the Apostle School “When eating healthy, you can’t go wrong in keeping your body lean and strong!”- Jordyn, St. Peter the Apostle School “Stay fun, Stay fresh, Stay festive, Eat healthy!”- Siena, Mother of Providence School “Make good choices in your life, Eat Right!”- Edward, Mother of Providence School “Have a Great Year and Eat Healthy!”- Maddison, Laboratory Charter School “Eat healthy foods, they are everywhere!”- Jariel, Laboratory Charter [...]

Last week we kicked off National Nutrition Month with National School Breakfast Week (March 4th-8th)! This year’s theme was “Start Your Engines with School Breakfast!” Students celebrated by sharing their favorite ways to fuel up with a nourishing NDS breakfast! Pictured above are students from Bishop McDevitt High School enjoying their daily balanced breakfast, which helps them start the day strong and actively learn throughout the day. Senior, Kayla Tillery, shared that when she “doesn’t consume breakfast, she is too distracted to learn.” Blessed Trinity Catholic School also took part in the celebration. School Breakfast and Lunch Manager, Kim Gatto, shared that she “loves serving breakfast to all their students. It gets them off to a fresh start and nutritious day!” Also pictured above are students from Blessed Trinity Catholic School during celebrating National School Breakfast Week. NDS’s school breakfast offers a variety of fruits, whole grains, and low fat milk in 97 schools throughout the region. All breakfasts include a quarter of the daily calories and key growth nutrients recommended for students. One of the favorites among the students during this week was our new Whole Grain Cinnamon Chex cereal with low-fat milk, sliced apples and 100% Fruit Punch juice.

On June 27th, Catholic Northeast Family Service Center hosted the 12th Annual Blessing of the summer, where we were joined by Reverend Monsignor Daniel Sullivan. Monsignor Sullivan blessed special kindness bracelets that were then distributed to the children to symbolize a happy, healthy summer ahead to all of the children receiving summer meals at the sites sponsored by NDS. The Summer Meals Program is federally funded and operated nationally by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In our area, it is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.  This year the NDS Summer Meals Program runs from June 18 through August 24. This summer, Northeast Philadelphia Family Service Center is one of just over 400 summer meals sites partnering with NDS to provide healthy meals to children.  Participating sites offer children aged 18 years or younger, a box lunch and choice of breakfast or snack.  Most Philadelphia and many suburban neighborhoods qualify for the program. During the blessing, we enjoyed lunch together which featured an Italian whole wheat sub, apple juice, a romaine salad with cherry tomatoes, and whole grain vanilla bear grahams. Special thanks to Northeast Philadelphia Family Service Center for hosting us and for being such a positive, welcoming group! We are lucky to work with organizations like them that make our Summer Meals Program a success.   Here's to a fantastic summer!