World Food Day 2020

Hello Kiddies, Parents/Caregivers, and Teachers!

I know this is a few days late, but the advocacy issues around World Food Day are so deserving of being discussed and advocated for, especially this year, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting hunger issues that it has highlighted.

World Food Day like other days sponsored by the United Nations is an international day of observance, celebrated annually on October 16th. It commemorates the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) established October 16, 1945. The first World Food Day was celebrated in 1982 in the United States. This day is widely celebrated by many organizations that raise awareness on the important issues around hunger, food security, and agriculture. The FAO also celebrates 75 years of their work to solve issues around food. In addition, This year the World Food Programme (WFP) also received the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 for their efforts to combat hunger, especially in conflict areas.

The FAO was created in the aftermath of the Second World War, due to a renewed emphasis on an intergovernmental need, to increase dialogue among nations to address food issues especially hunger, malnutrition, and food deprivation.

This year's theme "Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together." addresses the prevailing issues around hunger worldwide, especially in a world of conflict. There are continued and persistent violent conflicts in the world that are connected to food issues, however, the conflict with the most immediacy is the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has highlighted the fragility of our food systems and our interconnectedness.

COVID-19 has exasperated the issues around food and hunger in the world. Namely food access and food insecurity along with the complications around our food and agricultural systems. In an effort to become more efficient and industrialized, to meet the demands of human consumption, animal feed, and biodiesel needs. Our farming and food systems have forgone quality for quantity. Though the world’s food is mostly produced by small-scale farmers, the unintended consequences and demands of our industrialized food systems; have led to significant food gaps, increases in poverty & hunger, and inequities among worldwide food workers.

Now that COVID-19 has exposed our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities. The theme of World Food Day 2020 aims to narrow those growing food related gaps and accelerate actions towards ending hunger and malnutrition; along with actions that include farming and agriculture, as part of those collective actions. We are finding that a new crop of mission-driven food business models and investments are increasing, in an effort, to answer the need of sustainable & ethical food systems.

Therefore, the theme this year is focused on the worldwide people who produce, plant, harvest, fish, or transport food for the world. The focus will highlight and celebrate all those who make it possible that food is grown, produced, and somehow makes it to our tables. We Grow, We Nourish, We Sustain, and We Can only do it TOGETHER! Happy World Food Day 2020! Thank you to all our Food Heroes! Please check out these resources to learn more about the food issues facing the world:

• United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) http://www.fao.org/home/en/

• OXFAM https://www.oxfamamerica.org/take-action/events/world-food-day

• World Food Programme (UN WFP) https://www.wfpusa.org FAO has provided a downloadable .pdf Activity Book for Kiddies (just click on image):

Source: United Nations and FAO

Make a Plan to VOTE: Childcare Resources and Tips

Hello Kiddies, Parents/Caregivers, and Teachers!

This post is inspired by Ms. Rose's own family! The other night, during a discussion with a cousin from Tennessee, a mother of a young Autistic child; the conversation truly highlighted some of the barriers Parents/Caregivers may face during Election Day, while trying to VOTE.

The number one barrier is childcare while the other is safety on election day. These barriers are even more prevalent since many children are home doing distance learning. Options that may have once been available to Parents/Caregivers are even more limited now with COVID-19 precautions and safety concerns.

A trusted older neighbor? A trusted family member? The college or high school student babysitter down the street? Church? Are no longer the expedient options that they once were. In America, we have less than two weeks to make a plan to vote. Some have already begun to vote early and even completed mail-in/absentee voting. Here are some limited resources that Ms. Rose was able to find. There are more specific resources in your particular area that you should seek out. Also, organizations and sites like VOTE.org have so many resources.

You may also want to check the CDC for COVID-19 specific concerns, these may vary from State to State. But we want everyone to remain safe while doing their CIVIC DUTY!

The best way to tackle a daunting and coordinating task is to PLAN! Checklist:

Checklist to Vote Poster

.pdf

Download PDF • 385KB

Some ideas for Ready-To-Eat Meals that will hold up in line:

• Peanut Butter or other Nut Butters and Fruit Jelly Sandwiches

• Trail Mix

• Nitrite/Nitrate-Free Jerky

• Charcuterie Snack Packs or other Snack Packs

• Portable Fruit and Vegetables (apples, pears, clementine, sugar snap peas, blueberries or other berries, miniature bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes)

• Raw Nuts

• Popcorn, Pretzels, Crackers

• Crackers & Tuna Kit or other Cracker& Canned Protein Kit

• Protein Bars, Fruit Bars, Snack Bars

• If you have any mayo or/and egg based dishes, they cannot be out at room temp, for more than 8 hours (let's hope you are not waiting this long)

• Check for Food Trucks in the area and Food organizations like Pizza for the Polls- https://polls.pizza/trucks #democracyisdelicious

Drinks:

• Might want to steer away from high caffeine or high sugary drinks, I know its tempting, but the diuretic effects may have you wanting to visit the bathroom more frequently then you want.

• Bring a Refillable water bottle! Or a disposable, please try to Recycle if provided! STAY hydrated you are losing water while breathing into a mask! Liquid Water Enhancers may give you some much needed flavor for your water.

COVID-19/Health:

• Bring an extra mask in case you need to switch up (remember when you are breathing you are losing water) and it may make your mask moist

• Bring a lip balm

• Hand Sanitizer/Alcohol Wipes

• Have some kind of emergency health information on you, a medical bracelet, emergency medication-inhaler etc. Ideally I would not want you to be waiting in line during a pandemic if you need emergency medication. You may want to ask the polling place or polling worker if you need these kinds of accommodations to be moved forward through the line. NO ONE should be upset at such a request.

• Possibly a hat, hair tie or other weather related item

I hope these resources help you plan your vote! I also hope you and your children get the opportunity to discuss the wonderful gift and important responsibility of voting and having our voices MATTER!

“Somewhere inside of all of us is the power to change the world"- Roald Dahl

Boo-Motion Ghost Felt Pillow Tutorial

Hello Kiddies, Parents/Caregivers and Teachers!

Halloween will be a strange event his year! We hope you have a fun and safe celebration, what ever you choose to do. Here is a great craft activity that will help you express and recognize your emotions/feelings during this time! It's really cute and a little spooky too...boooooooooooo! Parents/Caregivers you will need to handle the more dangerous tasks...like sewing if you choose too (or liquid sewing) and working the glue gun! Safety is the key!

Boo-Motion Felt Pillow Pattern Worksheet

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Download • 85KB

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