With Friends Youth Wellness Policy
With Friends, Inc. (hereto referred to as the Residential Child Care Institute) is committed to the optimal development of every student. The Residential Child Care Institute (RCCI) believes that for runaway and homeless youth to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental, and social success, we need to encourage a lifetime of healthy eating for each youth by providing free meals to youth that are nutritious, appealing, and served by caring professionals in a pleasant environment.
Public Involvement
The RCCI will convene a representative Youth Wellness Committee (YWC) that meets at least 1 time per year to establish goals for and oversee youth health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation, and periodic review and update of this Youth Wellness Policy (YWP).
Potential Stakeholders
Potential stakeholders are made aware of their ability to participate in the YWC when they volunteer as a With Friends, Inc. Board Member or With Friends Teen Board Member. Youth are made aware of their ability to participate in the YWC once they have conducted intake during orientation.
Policy Leadership
The Executive Director or designee(s) will convene the YWC and facilitate development of and updates to the YWP, and will ensure each shelters compliance with the policy. It is only required that 3 of the 9 roles be present to hold a meeting.
The name(s), title(s), and role of this/these individual(s) is:
Name | Title | Role |
Caroline W. Looney | Executive Director | Director |
Monica J. Lail | Associate Director | Administrator |
Jalissa Gresham | Residential Coordinator | Manager |
O’Neil Walker | Social Worker | Social Worker |
Young Yang | Case Manager | Direct Care Worker |
Quonisha McCaskill | Youth Development Specialist | Direct Care Worker |
Board | Board Member | Stakeholder |
Teen Board | Board Member | Stakeholder |
Resident | Youth | Stakeholder |
Food and Nutrition
Food is not available for sale or marketing on With Friends campus. Free meals to all runaway and homeless youth that are nutritious, appealing, and served by caring professionals in a pleasant environment. Menus are required to adhere to federal meal regulations and available by clicking on the following links:
Menu – pfd download
Breakfast – School Breakfast Program
- Milk
- Fruit
- Grain
Lunch – National School Lunch Program
- Milk
- Fruit
- Vegetable
- Meat/Meat Alternate
- Grain
3pm Snack – After School Snack Program (Weekdays) and Child and Adult Food Care Program (Weekend)
- 2 components of 4 components (milk, fruit/vegetable, grain, meat/meat alternate)
Supper – Child and Adult Food Care Program
- Milk
- Fruit
- Vegetable
- Meat/Meat Alternate
- Grain
8pm Snack – Child and Adult Food Care Program
- 2 components of 4 components (milk, fruit/vegetable, grain, meat/meat alternate)
Kids Café – Second Harvest Food Bank
- Provides free meals, snacks and nutrition education to at-risk children.
YWP Goals:
With Friends, Inc. is committed to providing environments that promote a positive culture of health and wellness and protects the health and well-being of runaway and homeless youth and staff, and to practices that reduce childhood hunger and enhance youths’ ability to learn by supporting healthy eating, physical activity, a tobacco and drug-free culture and the development of life long physical and mental wellness practices.
In order to achieve these goals, YWC will:
- Establish and maintain a YWC to help plan, implement, and monitor compliance with YWP and other policies and regulations related to health and wellness;
- Establish and support a YWC in each RCCI;
- Promote staff wellness;
- Establish nutritional standards for foods provided free on youth shelter campuses that meet or exceed nutritional standards set by the US Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Board of Education policy, and North Carolina law;
- Increase youths’ opportunities for physical education and physical activity;
- Promote a tobacco, alcohol and drug-free culture; and
- Provide health and nutrition education.
Evidence-Based Practices:
- Choose MyPlate
- Let’s Move
- Fuel Up to Play 60
Promotions:
- Culture of Nutrition
- Chopped
- Kids Baking Star
- Food With Friends Star
Triennial Assessment
This YWC will conduct an assessment every 3 years to determine:
- Compliance with the YWP
- How the YWP compares to model wellness policies
- Progress made in attaining the YWP goals
Public Notice
This With Friends Youth Wellness Plan, Youth Wellness Committee Meeting Agenda/Minutes and its Triennial Assessments will be posted to the With Friends website at www.withfriendsinc.com under Food and Nutrition
Youth Wellness Committee Meetings
- 2019 – pdf download
Triennial Assessments
- 2019-2022 – pdf download
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Visit us on the web at www.ncpublicschools.org. All e-mail correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law, which may result in monitoring and disclosure to third parties, including law enforcement.