CEAP helps Families through Sprout Market

Four local elementary schools are part of a CEAP program called Sprout Market, which gives families fresh fruits and vegetables. The fresh food is provided every other month.

Tackling Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is an issue that affects many families.   Crestview Elementary works with CEAP to hold what they call Sprout Market.

“A lot of our students have free and reduced lunch,” says Selene Lohn, the volunteer coordinator for the program at Crestview. 

Lohn says about 85 percent of students are on free or reduced lunches.

The market is every other month and provides the student and their family with around 25 pounds of food.

“Before we started the program, we would have some kids come in the morning and say I didn’t have dinner last night,” added Lohn. 

Lohn says that statement came a few years ago, but the need is still present in the school.

CEAP views the market as an opportunity to let families know food shelves can provide fresh food too.

“Often families have misconceptions about what food shelves are,” says Rachel Hickok, Director of Development for CEAP. “They think that we only have non-perishables or cans of soup.  This is really an opportunity to showcase that this is just a taste of what we offer.”

CEAP also offers Sprout Markets at three other elementary schools in the local area.

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