FARMINGTON—Christmas break just ended for students in the Davis School District. For most it was a time to celebrate the holiday season with gifts, big meals with family and friends and all the holiday traditions. However, some kids weren’t so lucky – they faced two weeks without school lunch and may not have known where their next meal was coming from. 

The Davis Education Foundation’s “No Hunger Zone” program not only helps children throughout the year but particularly during the holiday break.

“There are 165 unaccounted for youth,” said Foundation Executive Director Jodi Lunt. “We received a generous donation from an anonymous donor that allowed us to give 14 $10 meal cards per child so that we know they’ll have at least one hot meal a day.”

Lunt said cards include McDonald’s, Wendy’s and pizza places. “There’s a variety of places we worked with. There are also grocery cards. This is our newest addition and we’ll repeat it again for spring break.”

Elementary kids and their families received a little larger bundle, she said. “It has something for the whole family to do a quick meal prep.”

The Foundation is also working to open teen centers in all of the Davis County high schools that offer kids a place to shower, launder their clothes and have a quiet place to study. Students will also have access to food pantries. Clearfield High’s center is already open and they broke ground in December for one at Woods Cross High School.

“We have plans to open centers at Layton High, Northridge, Mountain High, and Renaissance Academy,” said Lunt. “Syracuse and Viewmont are the next two to be built. There are some pieces to each school that we need for this, then we will construct them.”

There are currently community pantries at Northridge, Layton and Clearfield, she said. “There are student pantries at Syracuse and Mountain High. The teen centers will have a food pantry as part of it that’s open one night a week.”

It’s a different night a week but it’s always open for students, said Lunt. “We want to spread our reach with the teen centers. We’re working closely with the schools to deliver emergency boxes and vouchers so that families in crisis can visit the Bountiful Food Pantry with no paperwork and no questions asked.”

The Foundation also provides all area access cards to homeless students, she said. “They may go to Bountiful High and they’re couch hopping but they can go to any of our food pantries and get food resources.”

The goal is to coordinate with organizations so that every student has access to food. “If a child is fed they’re able to concentrate so they can attend school and work at their optimal ability,” Lunt said. “We’re blessed in Davis County. When I extend a need for help the community is engaged and jumps right in on it.”

It’s humbling and uplifting, she said. “The community cares deeply for the success of our children. I love this time of year when hearts and hands are wide open to making the world a better place.”