Del Norte Unified School District To Be Recognized Nationally at Nutrition Summit

by ROGER GITLIN

The Del Norte Unified School District (DNUSD) has been recognized among the most elite school districts in the country at the No Kid Hungry Summer Nutrition Summit, a national convention to be held January 12–13 in Washington, D.C.

DNUSD will present at the Summit, with Julie Bjorkstrand, Director of Nutrition Services, representing the district’s nutrition program in our Nation’s capital.

The Summit brings together leaders from across the country who are shaping the future of summer meals and food access for children.

The topic DNUSD is presenting on, “Summer Meals in Ultra-Rural Communities,” is directly connected to the district’s innovative work providing healthy meals to children across one of the most remote counties in California..

This past summer, an impressive 63,000 meals were served through the Seamless Summer Food Program for a District serving fewer than four thousand students.

DNUSD expanded access by strengthening and creating community partnerships to ensure meal availability.

Del Norte Unified was selected for its unique ability to reach students in hard-to-access coastal, forest, and mountainous regions—work that has drawn attention from leaders and national organizations working to improve equity across rural America.

Director Bjorkstrand shared, “Being selected to speak about our work on a national stage is a wonderful chance to highlight both the challenges we face as a rural community and the opportunities ahead. I’m incredibly proud of our team—their dedication to their work and compassion for this mission to serve meals to the rural children of Del Norte when school is off session. School nutrition is truly a work of heart. I’m so grateful every day to our staff who pour their passion into the children of this community.”

Michael Hawkins, DNUSD Director of Communications and Public Information, followed up, “As one of the largest and most remote geographic districts of the Golden State, our Nutrition Services team continually rises to meet the challenges before them. To have their work recognized on a national level is a testament to what a committed rural district can achieve when putting students first.”

The No Kid Hungry Summer Nutrition Summit brings together state and national leaders, policymakers, program innovators, and community organizers to share successful strategies that expand access to summer nutrition. By presenting at the event, DNUSD will help elevate the voices and needs of rural communities across California and contribute to national efforts to ensure that no child goes hungry when school is out.