Schakowsky visits Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov School's lunch program

Receives Award for work with Agudath Israel of Illinois

CHICAGO – Recently, Rep. Jan Schakowsky visited the Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov School (a day school for girls K-8). Representatives from Agudath Israel of Illinois, a social service and advocacy organization serving the Midwestern Jewish community, joined her for the visit and honored Rep. Schakowsky for her work on their school lunch program. Rep. Schakowsky issued the following statement on the visit:

“I was honored to accept an award in recognition of my work with Agudath Israel and their school lunch program this week at the Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov School. Agudath Israel’s lunch program, KiwiKids, has a goal to serve 2500 daily school lunches in eight schools by the end of the 2016 school year. Already the program has achieved so much and is steadily growing.

KiwiKids is a unique program that utilizes the USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP) as well as private funds to provide school meals to students in need. The NSLP alone would provide nutritious meals to only 55 percent of students who need meals. By teaming up with a sponsor to initiate the KiwiKids program, Agudath Israel of Illinois is helping to bridge the gap by providing nutritious lunch options to our children.

In 2014, educators commented that the lunches provided through KiwiKids helped students focus and increased learning. I spent time speaking with 6th, 7th and 8th graders girls during my visit and answered some of their questions. I look forward to continuing my commitment to ensuring that all our children are provided affordable and nutritious meals.”

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