Diocesan Employee Wins National Scholarship, Advocates for Child Nutrition

Heather Blades, purchasing assistant for the Diocese of Baton Rouge Child Nutrition Program, honed her skills and made the connections needed to become more effective in her passion of ensuring that students receive the nutritious meals they need to develop their spirits, minds, and bodies at the School Nutrition Association’s 52nd Legislative Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

Blades attended the conference last month through the Josephine Martin National Policy Fellow 2024 Scholarship Award from the non-profit School Nutrition Foundation, the charitable arm of the non-profit SNA.

Blades is an active member of SNA nationally and locally. She is currently the secretary of the School Nutrition Association of Louisiana’s board. She is also part of the state Association’s Public Policy and Legislation Committee.

During the conference, Blades learned more about the needs of the SNA and how the government can better support child nutrition programs. Participants received updates from the United States Department of Agriculture on their standards for the Child Nutrition programs and how the government can assist them so they can continue to successfully meet them.

Heather Blades, second from the right in above picture, and her Louisiana Child Nutrition peers visited with members of Congress on Capitol Hill during the 52nd Legislative Action Conference. Photos provided by Heather Blades

According to SNA’s 2024 School Nutrition Trends Report, only 17% of responding school districts feel federal reimbursement rates for school meals are sufficient to cover the costs of producing lunch.

“We learned techniques on how to approach legislators and let them know what they can do to advocate for our organization,” said Blades.

She and her fellow Louisiana Child Nutrition representatives met on Capitol Hill with Louisiana’s congressional delegation and discussed the importance of free meals for all students.

Having worked in both the private and public sector child nutrition programs, Blades has seen first-hand how families struggle financially because of inflation and seen the positive impacts of free school meals for families and students.

She is implementing what she learned at the conference and emphasizes the diocesan Child Nutrition Program avidly works for the best of the students and families they serve. Blades knows the sacrifices parents, and sometimes grandparents, make in paying for children’s Catholic schools’ tuition.

“We all love feeding kids the most nutritious meals possible,” said Blades. “I also want parents to know it’s OK to reach out to senators and representatives and talk to them. I strongly encourage them to talk to (their legislators) and let them know how important it is."

Everyone faces struggles so letting their legislators know their story will help in getting kids fed," she added.