Texas Ag Commissioner to congratulate him
Texas Border Business
Pablo Ramirez, a student at McAllen ISD’s Lamar Academy, wants to fight against hunger.
Now, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has announced Ramirez’ selection as a Health Ambassador for 2019-20. TDA Food and Nutrition created Health Ambassadors for a Ready Texas (HART) to provide the opportunity and encourage high school students to champion healthy eating and wellness within their school communities.
Ramirez wants to champion nutrition programs in the McAllen school district and the region.
Ramirez submitted an application and was selected through a rigorous application process.
“He will be challenged by both TDA and the district to help solve barriers to child nutrition program implementation and implement best practices from McAllen ISD throughout TDA and the region,” McAllen ISD’s Food and Nutrition Services Director said. “Pablo was instrumental in not only the development of the idea and subsequent implementation of the Lamar Energy Bar Food Pantry but also presented to McAllen school principals on the importance of food pantries as a way to assist with combatting the issue of student food insecurity.”
The Texas Department of Agriculture partnered with public school food service directors to encourage students to apply to be part of decision-making opportunities and promote nutrition programs plus a climate of district wellness with both TDA and their school district.
Ramirez will serve a one-year term with the option to reapply for an additional one-year term.
McAllen ISD and other Rio Grande Valley districts experience multiple challenges in the administration of child nutrition programs. These include:
- High numbers of food insecure and homeless rates in the region
- Transient migrant families leading to food availability and food safety concerns
Ramirez will have the opportunity to present these challenges and solutions to help reduce food insecurity to other students throughout the state.
Ramirez has carried this interest for a long time. In October, he helped open a food pantry, called The Energy Bar, at his campus to provide fellow students a free resource to ward off food insecurity. He has presented to McAllen ISD principals. At least three McAllen ISD middle schools have opened or plan to open a food pantry.
In Texas, one in four children have food insecurity but in the Rio Grande Valley that number is one in two.
McAllen ISD food service facts
McAllen ISD participates in four federal nutrition programs that help the district serve more than 39,000 meals to more than 22,500 students daily at no charge to them through the district’s participation in Community Eligibility Provision. This is approximately 6.9 million meals per school year.
National school breakfast, school lunch and after-school snack and supper programs ensure students have a wide variety of nutritious foods throughout extended day programs.
McAllen ISD participates in the fresh fruit and vegetable program and farm fresh Friday initiatives to support increased produce consumption.
Food pantries are currently in place at several campuses and continue to grow at other sites along with existing partnerships with the RGV Food Bank to significantly reduce food waste.
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