FAIRFIELD, Calif. (SEPTEMBER 15, 2021)-- Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC), a non-profit, affordable housing developer, has partnered with Dairy Council of California and United Way California Capital Region (UWCCR) to keep CHOC's young residents fed and healthy, as well as focused and engaged with reading while on summer break. Through the Summer STARS program, children and families receive food access and education that focuses on nutrition literacy where families live, work and play, empowering healthier students and stronger communities. Participating school districts include Elk Grove Unified School District and Natomas Unified School District.



Community connection is critical to delivering effective, culturally relevant services. The summer months bring uncertainties for many families as they face food insecurity and a lack of affordable enrichment activities for kids. This is compounded by the potential learning loss over the summer, called the “summer slide.” Over the summer, low-income students can fall behind by 2-3 months, while middle class students tend to advance by one month.



“Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic school year has brought on learning and achievement gaps for kids. Providing young CHOC residents with continuous learning opportunities like Summer STARS matters and makes a difference,” said Terri Smyth, MSW, Director of Family and Youth Services at CHOC. “The impact of multiple organizations like Dairy Council of California, United Way and multiple school districts, leveraging resources will make a tremendous impact on the transition back to the school year and after school programs.”



More than 40 students participated in STARS, powered by BookNook, at five CHOC Summer Enrichment Programs. The youth participated in 58 hours of summer tutoring, which resulted in a total of 272 literacy tutoring sessions. Over the course of the summer, STARS program participants successfully completed 46 language arts standards and a total of 10 reading levels were gained collectively. On average, students gained at least half a reading level or more, according to the United Way California Capital Region.



Leveraging Let’s Eat Healthy free nutrition resources that include science-based curricula, worksheets and informational and literary reading passages, students are able to learn about nutrition and build essential life skills while engaging in reading and writing activities.

“Providing children with access to nutritious foods and enriching activities like nutrition education and summer reading enables them to fuel their bodies and minds while school is out of session,” said Tracy Mendez, registered dietitian nutritionist and program director of nutrition education at Dairy Council of California. “When students learn how to make healthy eating decisions and experience healthy meals that include the recommended servings of milk and dairy, fruit and vegetables, whole grains and proteins, it helps them gain lifelong knowledge and confidence in their ability to nourish their bodies for optimal growth and development.”



School meal service plays an important role in supporting healthier students whether school is in or out of session. During summer months when school is out of session, summer meal service fills in the gaps, providing students with access to the nourishing foods they need for optimal growth and development, including milk and dairy, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and protein.



“By fueling students’ bodies, their minds are also fueled to learn, with evidence showing improved levels of academic achievement and performance, behavior, cognitive skills and attitudes, and overall health,” adds Mendez.

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ABOUT CHOC Housing

Founded in 1984, the Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC) is a non-profit, affordable housing developer based in Fairfield, California with offices in Palm Springs, that creates and manages communities for individuals, families, seniors and those with special needs. CHOC believes that economically integrated, affordable housing is key to self-sufficiency and is achievable with enriching, supportive programs that give pride to residents, stabilize families and improve local economies. www.chochousing.org



Dairy Council of California

For over a century, the Dairy Council of California has empowered stakeholders, including educators, health professionals and community leaders, to elevate the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits. Funded by California’s dairy farm families and local milk processors and under the guidance of California Department of Food and Agriculture, Dairy Council of California’s free science-based nutrition education resources, Mobile Dairy Classroom assemblies, training programs and online resources educate millions of students and families in California and throughout the United States. Learn more at HealthyEating.org.



United Way California Capital Region

For nearly 100 years, the United Way California Capital Region has brought local people together to make community change happen. With a mission to build stronger, healthier and more compassionate communities, the local United Way starts at square one: helping every family succeed so their community can too. Serving Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties, the local United Way is working to meet its 20-year commitment to significantly reduce poverty in the region by building capacity in undervalued communities, creating meaningful partnerships, seeking equity in education and making social justice investments in families. For more information or to make a donation, visit YourLocalUnitedWay.org.