As we start off 2021, we’d like to express our gratitude to the wonderful educators who are our Food Education Fellows and reflect back on a collaboration between one of our Fellows at Ogesbly Elementary School in Auburn Gresham – Brenda Armstrong, and her community partner – Latrice McArthur at Wellness with Bella.
Founded in 2010 by Latrice McArthur, Wellness with Bella is an organization serving communities on the south and west sides of the city that started as an after-school program to encourage healthy eating as a part of daily life and has since grown to combine healthy eating, physical fitness, mindfulness and meditation, and educational enrichment to help students thrive. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been inspired by their work to ensure access: preparing and delivering healthy meals to their community during times outside of school meals including holidays, evenings, and weekends.
In preparation for the upcoming holidays, Wellness with Bella continued their work to fight food insecurity by preparing and delivering 500 hot meals for their students and families to be delivered on 12/22. All 19 of Brenda’s 3rd grade students received a visit from their teacher (dressed up as Mrs. Claus no less!) and her husband who delivered meals and gift bags including some food from Brenda’s local church and our friends at CLIF bar. We can’t think of a more fitting Mrs. Claus and are so incredibly grateful to share the continued work of Brenda and Latrice in the Auburn Gresham community.
