A high school senior in Iowa is helping local families facing food insecurity. Katelyn Okerlund, a senior at Ames High School, was inspired by a class on food systems and by the increase in families relying on food banks during the federal government shutdown last fall. Since October, she and a group of volunteers have assembled about 50 grab-and-go meal kits, including taco bowls, chili, chicken noodle soup, and birthday cake kits.
Okerlund says the meal kits are made with shelf-stable, high-protein foods that are easy to prepare. Each one includes cooking instructions to help families save time and spend more evenings together. The kits are prepared at the HOPE Pantry inside the Ames Center, which serves several schools in the Ames Community School District.
The teen volunteers about four hours each week and hopes the program continues after she graduates. Okerlund plans to expand the project by creating new recipes and gathering feedback from families. HOPE Pantry is open to families with children enrolled in the district and works with the Food Bank of Iowa to provide support.
Source: KCCI
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