Eating together, growing together: a warm meal unites and strengthens - not only the body, but also the heart. In Campo do Coelho, a district of Nova Friburgo, around 130 children and young people find a safe space to learn, play and eat together every day. For many of them, this care is the only chance they have to eat a balanced diet because they do not have this at home. At the same time, they learn here that nutrition is more than just food intake.
Balanced menu with professional support
All meals are freshly prepared in the hotel's own kitchen. A healthy mix of vegetables, meat, cereals and rice - based on local recipes - ends up on the plates.
Amanda works as a volunteer nutritionist at the facility of humedica Brasil and contributes her expertise every week, when the menu is created. "The ingredients are carefully selected and come from trustworthy suppliers." Once a month, she visits the nursery to ensure that all health and safety precautions have been taken and optimizes in the kitchen where necessary. If you want to find out more about Amanda's work, read the short interview.
Amanda also advises the kitchen staff on how to prepare and store the processed food correctly so that all the important nutrients end up in the pupils' stomachs later on.
Focusing on the needs of children
In total, meals are served three times a day at the facility: Lunch, breakfast and an afternoon snack. Depending on the times at which the children are registered, they receive two meals a day, which always consist of a lunch and a snack either in the morning or in the afternoon.
The children get a better sense of togetherness and their self-worth.
Most of the children cared for at the facility come from socially disadvantaged families where eating is irregular and cheaper, easily accessible food takes priority. However, these do not always guarantee the necessary nutritional value for the children's development. "We observe that daily access to nutritious food contributes to better physical development and a greater willingness to participate in the activities on offer," says Karen Machado, social worker at humedica Brasil.
High-quality food thanks to donations
humedica Brasil has built up a network of partners who reliably supply the required food in good quality and at moderate prices. Eighty percent of the food is financed by donations, while the remaining twenty percent comes from local initiatives in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which have set themselves the goal of reducing food waste. Sporadically, partner organizations, companies or private individuals also donate non-perishable food.
The meals provided are of great importance to the children and young people. Not only do they fill them up and promote concentration and development, but they also strengthen social bonds and offer moments of positive interaction.
The cheerful atmosphere at the dining tables shows: Your help is getting through. You are not just giving these children food - you are giving them hope, health and the chance of a better life. Thank you very much!
The children receive lunch at the daycare center in Nova Friburgo