Hand Up Teens Give Back By Organizing A "Day On, Not a Day Off"
Thursday, December 3, 2009
By: Adrian Adrian Carranza

Hand Up Youth Food Pantry Student Executive Committee Honors Dr. Martin Luther King's Legacy by Educating Community About Hunger and Nutrition.

Students from the Hand Up Youth Food Pantry Student Executive Committee are coordinating a Day of Service on Martin Luther King Day, January 18, 2010. On what is, for most kids, a relaxing day off of school, Hand Up’s socially-minded teen leaders are making MLK Day 2010 a “Day On.” From 10:00am-2:30pm, Hand Up teens will volunteer their time at Jewish Family Service’s Preschool in the Park program and at College Avenue Older Adults Center.

At the College Avenue Older Adult Center, teens will engage the participants through an exciting, nutrition focused ‘Jeopardy’ game and work together to make healthy snacks. This will be a great opportunity to bridge the generational gap and get teens more involved with older populations, hopefully setting the stage for future intergenerational projects.

 Emma Tuttleman, Student Executive Committee Chair & Senior at San Diego Jewish Academy says “We’re really energized about engaging our peers in service on what is traditionally a day off. We’re excited to do something positive on MLK day by working together to promote healthy eating, and raise awareness about food insecurity in our community.”

The teen organizers hope to increase awareness in the community about food insecurity, poverty, and nutrition.

With food insecurity at an all time high—more than 49 million American’s live in food insecure households according to the USDA’s report, Household Food Security: 2008—Hand Up teen leaders from across San Diego County are giving a “hand up,” by educating community members about how to promote food security and healthy food choices at home.  

According to a variety of scientific research  children from low-income backgrounds are at excess risk of obesity. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth for four- to twelve-year-olds indicates that low income children have higher obesity rates than do wealthier children. Hand Up teen leaders will provide parents and children at Preschool in the Park with information and resources for getting the most nutritious bang for their buck when purchasing food on a limited budget. Teens will also provide participants with healthy and homemade, nutritious snacks.  

In the 2008-2009 school year the Hand Up Student Executive Committee was actively involved in bringing awareness to the issues of hunger and poverty in San Diego County. They have advocated for policy reform, and provided educational presentations at schools, youth groups, and extracurricular clubs. Martin Luther King Day of Service is one more way Hand Up teen leaders are working to alleviate hunger in our community.

For additional information about Martin Luther King Day of Service, or to get involved with Hand Up Youth Food Pantry’s “Day On” service project, please contact Adrian Carranza at 858.637.3398 or adrianc@jfssd.org.