RCPS ‘Be Bright, Eat Right, Rockdale’ wins USDA Turnip the Beet Award

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) “Be Bright, Eat Right Rockdale” (BBERR) summer feeding program was recently honored in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s second annual Turnip the Beet Awards, which recognizes high-quality summer meal programs.

RCPS School Nutrition Executive Director Peggy Lawrence said she was proud of the work “Be Bright, Eat Right Rockdale” has done to close the hunger gap. “So many of our students depend on school meals to meet daily nutritional needs, and a hunger gap is created when school is out for the summer. These meals, taken to where our children live and play, help close that gap and make our children more likely to succeed in school and life.”

Turnip the Beet showcases sponsors of summer meal programs that have gone above and beyond to ensure their meals are both nutritious and appetizing, and meet the needs of their local communities and customers. Sponsors demonstrate excellence in a variety of ways, including: serving fresh fruit daily; conducting taste tests with the children (and incorporating the feedback into the menus); and offering nutrition education activities along with the meals.

Three award levels (gold, silver, and bronze) were available, and nominations were evaluated by USDA based on a wide range of nutrition and meal quality criteria. RCPS won a silver Turnip the Beet Award.

“On behalf of Georgia Department of Education we would like to congratulate all the winners from Georgia for their dedication to child nutrition, particularly their special attention to the quality of summer meals,” said Linda Azain of the Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Division.

In Georgia, 19 sponsors were selected as awardees. These 19 sponsors are among an elite group of 111 award-winning sponsors nationwide.

RCPS, Rockdale Emergency Relief (RER), and Bread of Life Deliverance (BOLD) Ministries have partnered since 2014 in “Be Bright, Eat Right Rockdale” to ensure Rockdale County’s children receive healthy, balanced and delicious meals throughout the summer.

For more information about BBERR meal delivery locations and times for this summer’s program, which runs June 4 – July 20, 2018, please visit www.rockdaleschools.org/summermealsor call 770-860-4223.