Today was a great day in New Haven and America! We celebrated the roll out of 33 salad bars in New Haven and because of the commitment of Whole Foods Market and Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools there are now 1,000 salad bars in schools with the goal of 6,000 by 2013.
As I was surrounded by our school children this morning in the school garden at Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School I was able to speak enthusiastically about just how great these salad bars in our schools will be. The students That joined me at the podium also offered their support for the salad bars. Smiling face on kids when we talk about fresh veggies is priceless.
The speakers at the media event were great, Ken Meyers from Whole Foods raved about how beautiful our school garden and thanked us for our commitment to feeding our children good foods. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro was energetic as always and praised us all for the work that we do, and our Superintendent of Schools Dr. Reginald Mayo spoke about the real potential salad bars bring to schools…healthy kids ready to learn! Most importantly for me today was the kids, our students love to show off their garden knowledge and skills to any and everyone. They were digging potatoes to show off to the Congresswoman and they were giving garden tours to anyone who asked. Their enthusiasm for fresh vegetables is second to none.
Dr. Judy Palfrey, Executive Director of Let’s Move! offered these words of encouragement through an email letter: "Due to the hard work of these leaders, 1000 schools have salad bars that did not have them this time last year. That means thousands of kids are making salads with vegetables and fruits everyday. Studies show that salad bars in schools increase vegetable and fruit consumption which is critical for improving the health of kids. I applaud the work that this coalition is doing and look forward to many more salad bars in schools in the year ahead."
Following the media event we joined the students for lunch in the cafeteria and encouraged the children to "Make a Rainbow" of vegetables on their plate. The words of encouragement were quickly drowned out by the excitement of the children to dig into the Brown Rice Salad, loaded with black beans, carrots, spinach, red and yellow peppers that joined the more traditional salad bar offerings of salad mix, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and green peppers. Kids getting excited about fresh vegetables and cold brown rice salad...this is good stuff!
Despite the claims from other that salad bars are unhealthy and not safe for children to dine at; I disagree. Schools are educational environments, naturally a place to teach children how to eat at a salad bar safely and sanitary. Now is the time to educate our children and continue to increase access to real foods.
Our salad bar program is designed to be user friendly and simple, but simple does not mean boring or lack of nutritious items. Traditional salad bar offerings of romaine salad mix, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and green peppers will be the staples. They will be joined on a rotating basis by roasted broccoli salad, baby spinach, black bean & tomato salad, roasted sweet potato & black bean salad, garbanzo bean salad, quinoa salad and various other heathful choices. The salad bar will also allow us to turn a plain taco day into a more exciting day by offering many fresh vegetable toppings. The only offerings we will not have on the salad bar will be fruit, pasta salads and mayonnaise based salads. While these items still may be nutritious we want to encouraged the children to increase their palate by eating vegetables in a more natural state.
Thank you to the generous support of Whole Foods, Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools, United Fresh Produce Association, National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance and the Lunch Box for your commitment to the students in New Haven Public Schools!
PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS HEALTHY, HUNGER-FREE KIDS ACT OF 2010 INTO LAW
First Lady Michelle Obama, Administration Officials and Let’s Move! Advocates Reaffirm Commitment to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids
“Today is a great day for kids throughout our country as they will soon have healthier, and more nutritious food in their schools. As we continue to focus on the twin issues of childhood obesity and hunger, we will increase access to good, quality meals in school cafeterias so the nutritional needs of our youngsters are better met. The President and First Lady have advocated strongly for passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, and, this bill, along with the resources and the powers provided under it, are going to allow USDA to be much more effective and aggressive in responding to obesity and hunger challenges for America’s kids.”
- U.S. Secretary Of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is a significant step forward in our effort to help America's children thrive and grow to be healthy adults. Thanks to the dedication of this Congress and First Lady Michelle Obama, more kids will have access to healthy, balanced, nutritious school lunches. By increasing the number of students eligible to enroll in school meal programs and improving the quality of food served, this legislation simultaneously tackles both hunger and the obesity levels currently affecting too many communities across this nation.”
-U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius
"The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes the most significant investment in the National School Lunch program in more than 30 years. I look forward to continuing to work with the First Lady and Secretary Vilsack to combat our national childhood obesity epidemic and increase students access to the nutritional food they need to help them learn.”
- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
“As Vice Chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America, I join President Obama and the First Lady in celebrating the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bi-partisan legislation will significantly enhance the quality of food for our children for generations to come and is a dramatic step forward in reducing childhood obesity. As a physician, I know smart nutrition leads to healthy and productive lives. With 36.5% of our children in Tennessee being overweight, this act goes a long way in ensuring that kids in Tennessee and around the country will have the healthy nutrition they deserve.”
- U.S. Senator Bill Frist (R-TN)
“Childhood and adult obesity are national problems and growing epidemics, but the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will help end this epidemic by improving the quality of food served to our children in schools across the nation. Here in Newark, we are defeating childhood and adult obesity, by partnering with organizations and community leaders to create local-based change that empowers families, neighborhoods and youth to embrace a healthier lifestyle. I applaud First Lady Michelle Obama’s commitment to the children of our city and across the country.”
- Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark, New Jersey
“On behalf of Mission: Readiness and over 100 retired generals and admirals who support child nutrition legislation as a matter of national security, we are very pleased that the nation has taken this important step in addressing the nation’s obesity epidemic. Being overweight or obese is the No. 1 medical reason why young men and women are unable to join the military. Research shows that up to 40 percent of what children consume every day takes place during school hours and that 80 percent of children who were overweight between the ages of 10 to 15 were obese by age 25. The final bill includes provisions that can get junk food out of schools, nourish more kids who need healthful meals and motivate them and their parents to adopt healthful eating and exercise habits. Military concerns about the fitness of American children are not new. When the National School Lunch Act was first passed in 1946, it was seen as a matter of national security. At the time many military leaders recognized that poor nutrition was a significant factor reducing the pool of qualified candidates for service. Our country is facing another serious health crisis. Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military. We must act, as we did after World War II, to ensure that our children can one day defend our country, if need be.”
-Retired Army Generals John M. Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, Former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Congratulations to First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and to the bi-partisan support in the Congress to pass the Healthy, Hunger Free Children Act. By passing a bill that addresses the nutritional quality of school lunches, an important step is being taken to give children choices that will make them healthier and more productive.”
-Mike Huckabee, Governor of Arkansas 1996-2007
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes significant progress toward ending child hunger and obesity by expanding access to federal child nutrition programs and improving the nutritional value they provide. In addition to reauthorizing federal child nutrition programs, the act will help address childhood obesity by reducing the fat and calorie content of school meals. Reversing the childhood obesity epidemic in a single generation – as First Lady Michelle Obama has called upon our nation to do – won’t be easy. It will require a long-term, sustained commitment to attacking this issue across multiple fronts. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes great strides toward eliminating this threat to our children's health.”
- O. Marion Burton, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
“The historic signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act helps schools become part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic. It is a victory for American parents working to make sure their kids grow up healthy, and for schools wanting to provide students with more nutritious meals and a healthier environment. With the implementation of this law, our nation's kids will be less likely to grow up with early risk factors for heart disease and stroke.”
-Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer, American Heart Association
“Today marks a major step forward in efforts to prevent both childhood obesity and hunger among our nation’s children. The signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law is a long-awaited victory for the 31 million students who participate in federal school meal programs. By giving the USDA the authority to update standards for all foods and beverages in schools, this new law says unhealthy foods have no place in our nation’s schools. And schools finally will have more resources to serve nutritious and appealing meals.”
- Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
“Getting junk food out of schools has been ten years in the making. This bill is a historic step toward reducing childhood obesity and helping parents' feed their children better. It's the result of the hard work of many, but would not have passed without this Administration. The President's leadership and First Lady's tireless advocacy brought the child nutrition bill back to life a number of times as it made its way through Congress.”
-Margo G. Wootan, Director of Nutrition Policy, Center for Science in the Public Interest
“The School Nutrition Association joins families nationwide in thanking President Obama, the First Lady and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for their sustained efforts to pass child nutrition reauthorization and expand children’s access to healthy school meals. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act recognizes the importance of school meals to the health and academic success of America’s children and gives school nutrition programs critical resources to bring more fresh produce, whole grains and low-fat dairy products into cafeterias. School nutrition professionals look forward to working with the Administration, parents, principals and community leaders to meet new nutrition standards for school meals and explore new avenues for promoting healthy lifestyles for our children.”
- Nancy Rice, M.Ed., RD, LD, SNS, President, School Nutrition Association (SNA)
“The provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will support efforts already underway in Dallas. The additional funding will help with continuing to improve our school meals and creating a healthier school environment. We appreciate the fact that child nutrition has been placed as a high priority by the First Lady and the President. New USDA meal patterns and professional standards will assure improved quality child nutrition programs for our children which in turn will support student academic performance in the classroom.”
-Dora Rivas, MS, RD, SNS, Executive Director, Food & Child Nutrition Services, Dallas Independent School District
“Our kids aren’t hungry because we lack food or because of a lack of food and nutrition programs. They are hungry because they lack access to programs that provide the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive. I would like to thank the President and First Lady for making Child Nutrition a top priority. Through their leadership and commitment we now have the first significant change in school meals in thirty years. This legislation is historic and will allow me to continue to offer more real foods to the kids in our schools.”
- Timothy Cipriano, Executive Director of Food Services, New Haven Public Schools
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signals a deep commitment to our nation's children and provides increased access to the food and nutrition programs that often go underutilized. Our kids aren't hungry because we lack food or because of a lack of food and nutrition programs. They are hungry because they lack access to the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive. The First Lady’s persistence made all the difference between this legislation’s good intentions and its becoming the law of the land.”
-Bill Shore, Founder and Executive Director, Share Our Strength
“This bill is an acknowledgement that in a nation as bountiful as ours, no child should worry about when their next meal will be. We are grateful for the hard work of our coalition partners, the White House, and Congress.”
-Rabbi Steve Gutow, President, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Co-Chair Fighting Poverty with Faith
"This bill is an exciting victory for hungry children. After a largely gridlocked year, passage of this bill is a positive sign that Congress can work together in the best interests of Americans."
-Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
“This critical legislation ensures that more of our nation’s children have access to healthy nutritious food and reaffirms our commitment as a nation to addressing the problem of childhood hunger. It is unacceptable that one in four children in poverty in America are hungry. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is an essential step in helping the 43.6 million American families who struggle every day to feed their children.”
- Father Larry Snyder, President, Catholic Charities USA, Co-chair Fighting Poverty with Faith
“Today's signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is something to celebrate, whether you are one of the 31 million schoolchildren who stand to benefit from it, or their parents, or America’s farmers. The bill establishes sensible nutrition standards for the food sold in school that will help push the junk food out of the building and make it easier for kids to have access to a nutritious meal or snack in school. The increase in funding for school lunch may be modest, yet it is also the first such increase in sixty years—a long-overdue recognition of the importance of the school lunch program in assuring the health of our children. The bill also recognizes the value of linking farms directly to schools as a way to get the freshest, tastiest vegetables and fruits into the cafeteria—a boon to both children and local farmers. The bill represents an important achievement for the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign, and the First Lady and her team are to be congratulated. It is also a victory for all the grass roots organizations and activists who work so hard to improve access to healthy food for everyone. There is still much to be done, but what has happened today marks a significant step forward, toward a food system that puts the health of our children first.”
–Michael Pollan, Author and Journalism Professor
“The way we feed our children today will dictate the country we have tomorrow. This was much more than a bipartisan effort. With the First Lady’s leadership, parents, teachers, child advocates and chefs all helped to pass a bill that will provide a children with what should be a fundamental right: the right to be fed in a healthy way. While I am happy we were able to squeeze a few more dollars for school lunch programs, I think we can do better. We need to band together on these issues to make sure we don’t shortchange our kids.”
- José Andrés, Principal, Think Food Group
“From the First Lady’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative to the President’s Childhood Nutrition bill, the Obama Administration has instigated a much-needed attitude change towards proper nutrition. As a chef and as a mother of four, I understand the importance of providing my own children with wholesome meals and firmly believe that all of our nation’s children should be afforded the same opportunity to grow up healthy which is why this legislation is so important.”
-Cat Cora, Founder, “Chefs for Humanity” and UNICEF spokesperson
“I am pleased to support President and Mrs. Obama and the efforts of their Administration in securing healthier nutrition for this nation's children. We still have much work to do to guarantee that all Americans have access to adequate, high-quality food, but the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is an important first step in that direction."
-Tom Colicchio, Chef/Restaurateur and Host of Top Chef
Today is a great day in school nutrition! The President of the United States (POTUS) signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 into law!
The is the first real raise/increase in school meal funding since 1973. While the increase may seem small it is historic and in addition to the funding increase there is a provision to increase funding for Farm to School Programs, funding that will allow for a competitive grants program that will help our local farmers. Access to food and nutrition programs will now be increased; families who now qualify for other governemtn programs will be streamlined into qualifying for free and reduced school meals. This law makes it easier for school districts to work with families to increase access to school meals.
Childhood obesity and childhood hunger go hand in hand. With the new competitive grant process for states to carry out strategies to end childhood hunger, we will begin to see a decrease in obesity in our schools. Our kids aren’t hungry because we lack food or because of a lack of food and nutrition programs. They are hungry because they lack access to these programs and to the nutritious foods they need to grow and thrive.
In Connecticut, one in three eligible students participate in school breakfast programs. These numbers are some of the lowest in the country. With additional resources available, we will be able to soon feed breakfast to more children in our schools in Connecticut. More kids eating breakfast equates to more kids learning and paying attention in class, and that equates to smarter kids down the road.
Resources for farm-to-school will increase the amount of local foods being served in schools. This is of great importance to me as the local food dude to continue educating children where the food comes from. My favorite story in our school gardens is of one child who popped a Sun Gold tomato into his mouth. That little tomato can change a whole generation of kids.
Lastly, there is a provision giving the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to regulate all food sold in schools. This includes competitive foods. This provision will possibly aid to the elimination of candy, soda and junk foods being sold in all schools, nationwide.
Thank you to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who fought for passage of this bill and now law. She stood st the Presidents side as he signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Act into law, keeping New Haven at the top!
Thank you to the First Lady for making School Nutrition a priority of hers, raising the bar and for devoting so much time for the health and well being of our kids!
Thanks to our good friend Kristen Manicelli from CityHarvest in NYC for this update:
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share the latest update on CNR. There was an hour debate in the House on 3307 yesterday afternoon. Republicans generally criticized the bill for increasing government spending, and Democrats generally supported it for improving nutrition and programs for kids. There were mentions of the SNAP offset from both sides: Rep McGovern said he’d work with the Administration to replace the funds, and there was criticism from the Republican side that the SNAP extension itself, and thus the portion of it used in 3307, was “borrowed money”. A number of members spoke of specific provisions in the bill. You can watch the debate in archive video at this link http://houselive.gov/.
Republicans were allowed one amendment, and Rep Kline proposed a change to the section on CACFP requiring background checks for child care workers providing meals. Because any change to the bill would require it go back to the Senate, this move was intended to prevent the bill from passage. (This is technically called a “Motion to Recommit”, or MTR, meaning ‘recommit’ the bill to committee.)
As a result of the MTR Leadership postponed the vote on 3307 until tomorrow, with a plan described in House Majority Leader Hoyer’s statement: "We will complete action on the Child Nutrition bill tomorrow. We will bring up the Republican motion to recommit as a stand alone suspension bill. After that vote, we will return to the Child Nutrition bill where we left off, voting on the motion to recommit and final passage. This will allow a good, bipartisan bill to reach the President's desk without delay."
There remains no “plan” to restore SNAP funds in the lame duck session, as many groups are calling for. (Tim's Note: Congresswoman DeLauro, in her speech on the floor of the House yesterday specifically mentioned working with the White House to restore the SNAP cuts. Click HERE for the audio)
The situation is complex and changing rapidly. Many of you have been in touch over the past days with questions, and if you haven’t but would like more information or clarification, please contact me. I am truly happy to help!
Thanks!
Kristen
_______________________
Kristen Mancinelli, MS, RD
Senior Manager, Policy and Government Relations
City Harvest
Tim's Note: KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT THE VOTE HAPPENS TODAY AND CONGRESS VOTES YES!
01:39:24 I THANK THE GENTLEMAN, AND I MIGHT JUST SAY TO THE PRIOR SPEAKER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DID NOT VOTE TO CUT FOOD FOR KIDS IN OUR COUNTRY.
01:39:46 THEY VOTED TO CUT THE TAX CUTS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THE CORPORATE SPECIAL INTERESTS IN THIS NATION, WHICH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE SEEMS TO HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH.
01:39:55 I RISE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS RULE, THE HUNGER-FREE KIDS ACT REPRESENTS A LONG OVERDUE, A MUCH-NEEDED RECOMMITMENT TO THE HEALTH AND TO THE WELL-BEING OF OUR SCHOOLCHILDREN.
01:40:07 WE ALL KNOW THE DOUBLE-EDGE PROBLEM THAT MILLIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE CURRENTLY FACE.
01:40:13 TODAY'S KIDS ARE THREATENED BY BOTH THE GROWING OBESITY EPIDEMIC AND FAR TOO MANY STRUGGLING FAMILIES IN THIS ECONOMY ARE FACING HUNGER.
01:40:23 AND ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT, ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR YOUNG ADULTS ARE TOO OVERWEIGHT TO SERVE IN OUR MILITARY.
01:40:31 AT THE SAME TIME, ACCORDING TO THE FOOD RESEARCH ACTION CENTER, ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN EXPERIENCE FOOD HARDSHIPS THIS YEAR, MEANING THEY DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE THE FOOD THEIR FAMILIES NEEDED.
01:40:45 DON'T LET PEOPLE FOOL YOU WITH WORDS LIKE FOOD HARDSHIP AND FOOD INSECURITY.
01:40:51 IT RESULTS IN HUNGER.
01:40:53 KIDS IN THIS NATION ARE GOING TO BED HUNGRY EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
01:41:00 THIS BILL MARKS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD AGAINST BOTH FRONTS OF THIS DANGEROUS MOVEMENT BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO ALL SCHOOLCHILDREN.
01:41:08 EMPHASIZING GOOD NUTRITION FOR THIS BILL WILL REDUCE HUNGER.
01:41:11 IT WILL REDUCE OBESITY.
01:41:13 THE HUNGER-FREE KIDS ACT WILL ADD $115 -- 115,000 NEW STUDENTS INTO THE SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM.
01:41:22 IT USES MEDICAID DATA TO CERTIFY ELIGIBLE KIDS.
01:41:25 IT WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 21 MILLION MEALS A YEAR BY REIMBURSING PROVIDERS FOR AFTER-SCHOOL MEALS TO LOW-INCOME CHILDREN.
01:41:35 WHILE EXPANDING ACCESS TO MEAL PROGRAMS, THIS BILL WORKS TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF ALL THE FOOD IN OUR SCHOOLS.
01:41:43 IT SETS NATIONAL NUTRITION STANDARDS THAT WILL FINALLY GET ALL OF THE JUNK FOOD INFILTRATING OUR CLASSROOMS AND AND FOR THOSE SCHOOLS WHO OUR CAFETERIAS OUT THE DOOR.
01:41:55 COMPLY WITH THESE REVISED NUTRITION STANDARDS, IT PROVIDES THE FIRST REAL REIMBURSEMENT RATE INCREASE.
01:42:03 SIX CENTS A MEAL.
01:42:05 AND THAT IS THE LARGEST 30 YEARS.
01:42:07 INCREASE WE HAVE SEEN IN OVER THIS BILL WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN THE FAR-TO-SCHOOL NETWORK SO THAT MORE HEALTHY PRODUCE, LOCAL FOOD, EVEN THE FOODS THAT ARE GROWN IN THE SCHOOL GARDEN CAN FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE MENUS.
01:42:23 OUR KIDS CONSUME ROUGHLY 35% TO 50% OF THEIR DAILY CALORIES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
01:42:29 BY PASSING THIS BILL WE CAN HELP SEE THAT THEY ARE GETTING ENOUGH NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO STAY HEALTHY, TO GROW, TO LEARN, TO SUCCEED, AND GIVEN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE, I KNOW SOME WILL ASK -- HOW CAN WE AFFORD THIS BILL?
01:42:45 I SAY, HOW CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO PASS IT?
01:42:49 LEAVING MILLIONS OF CHILDREN HUNGRY, MALNOURISHED IN THE NAME OF BUDGET CUTTING IS PENNY-WISE, POUND FOOLISH, ESPECIALLY FROM THOSE WHO WILL SAY LET'S PROVIDE THE RICHEST 2% OF THOSE IN THIS NATION WITH A TAX CUT AND OVER $00,000 A YEAR.
01:43:09 THEY'RE EATING WELL.
01:43:10 THEY'RE EATING HIGH ON THE HOG AND KIDS ARE GOING TO BED HUNGRY EVERY NIGHT IN OUR NATION.
01:43:16 COUNTLESS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT KIDS WITH ACCESS TO A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST PERFORM WELL, DO BETTER IN SCHOOL.
01:43:22 FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I HAVE BEEN WORKING AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO EXPAND ACCESS TO FEDERAL AID, INCLUDING THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN.
01:43:33 WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO THE NUTRITION THEY NEED FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE.
01:43:39 USING THE FOOD STAMP MONEY FOR AN OFFSET -- THANK YOU.
01:43:42 USING THE FOOD STAMP MONEY AS AN OFFSET IS A TIME WHEN ONE IN FIVE KIDS RECEIVED FOOD STAMP ASSISTANCE MOVES US AWAY FROM NEVERTHELESS, THIS LEGISLATION THAT GOAL.
01:43:52 IS A BIG STEP FORWARD.
01:43:53 I FOR ONE AND OTHERS HAVE SAID WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH, TO SEE THAT THE SNAP FUNDING IS RESTORED.
01:44:00 WE WILL WORK WITH THE WHITE HOUSE TO MAKE SURE THOSE FUNDS ARE RESTORED, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE CONGRESS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TODAY AND PLEDGE TO FIGHT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE ALL KIDS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE RESOURCES HAVE THE ACCESSIBILITY TO GAIN THESE RESOURCES.
01:44:21 I URGE MY COLLEAGUES, VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS RULE.
01:44:24 NOTHING THAT WE DO IN THIS BODY IS AS IMPORTANT THAN ENSURING THAT OUR CHILDREN, OR GRANDCHILDREN AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICANS HAVE THE TOOLS, THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE NUTRITION THAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE AND TO SUCCEED.
01:44:38 OUR KIDS DESERVE NO LESS.
01:44:40 .
01:44:40 THANK YOU AND I YIELD BACK.
Congresswoman DeLauro- On behalf of all the children in this country, THANK YOU!
Thanks to the continued leadership of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization will hit the House floor today to be voted on. This bill, while not perfect is historic since it includes the first major in School Meal funding in 44 years! The 6 cent increase us literally pennies per child but add up to at least one additional piece of fresh fruit or vegetable a week. While that seems paltry because the students in New Haven have access to MANY fresh fruits and vegetables this is not the case everywhere.
This legislation, if passed, gives the USDA oversight on ALL foods served/sold in schools, not just the reimbursable meal. This could be historic on it's own and finally be an end to the selling of JUNK FOOD in schools or at least reducing it significantly.
The childhood obesity and hunger issues our children are faced with is at an all time high and is not something school meal programs should be contributing too. While it is a fact that school meal programs serve meals that meet or exceed the dietary guidelines and schools are 'following the rules' the dietary guidelines themselves are skewed and vague. One's interpretation of them changes the scope of the food served in schools. Here is an example of what I am referring too; both these meals qualify for reimbursement from the State if Connecticut and the USDA, but they vary considerably!
1. Chicken Nuggets
French Fries
Grape Juice or Applesauce
Dinner Roll
1% Chocolate Milk
2. Roasted Chicken 'on the bone'
Roasted "locally grown" sweet potatoes
Fresh "locally grown" apple or pear
Whole Grain Dinner Roll
Choice of skim or 1% WHITE milk
Option #2 does cost a little but more money but that school district does not tie up funds by turning it's operation into a 7-11 type store selling hunk food to kids. That school district relies on saving money by supporting local farms with it's purchases thus reducing overall food costs. That school district purchased over 140,000 lbs of state grown products, not to mention the tens of thousands of pounds if regionally grown products. That same school district is educating it's students that when you get your hands in the dirt and grow the food you will have a better appreciation for REAL FOOD! This lesson is hard to teach in the classroom, this is something we teach in our numerous school gardens, at our school farm or in out environmentally conscious schools. The students and school community as well as the city this program is in has rallied together to see this change go through!
The district I am describing is New Haven, CT. Under the direction of Mayor DeStefano, Superintendent Mayo and Chief Operating Officer Will Clark and with the continued support of Locals 217, 287, 884 & 3144 these changes are possible. Why? It's called TEAMWORK & HEALTHY KIDS FIRST!
On behalf of the students of NHPS I'd like to say many thank you's to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Rep. Pat Dillon, Dr. Mayo, Will Clark, USDA, CSDE, Barnard Environmental Magnet School team, CARE, our community partners and all the CHEFS who helped kick-off Health Heroes & Chefs Move to Schools. Yesterday was a fantastic day and we ad Chefs kept the students engaged as we spoke to and educated them on the importance of eating real foods.
The students had the opportunity to participate in cooking demos and some classes were read stories about real food and farming.
The cooking demo classes were able to sample the ABC's & Y & Z's of food: Apple skin spaghetti (Congresswoman DeLauro & Chef Tim), Black bean hummus (Chef Eric Pasquale), Chevre crostini with heirloom tomatoes (Chefs Dan Bathelder, Glen Brunetti & Ana Jaramillo); Carrot story and tasting session (Chef Tagan Engel), Yogurt smoothies (Chef Dave Prescott) and Zesty green goddess pasta Chefs Matt & Peter Weichner).
Chef Tim of NH School Food was pleased with the day, "The look of excitement on a child's face when a Chef walks into the room is priceless. The most amazing thing with yesterday is we prove the naysayers that say kids won't eat vegetables or are unwilling to try new foods wrong. Even the students who were adamantly opposed sampled the food and enjoyed them. Look, when you put together a delicious offering and present it to the children with a positive attitude the kids will try it and 9 times out of 10 like it!"
Thanks to the strong commitment of our Food Service Team NH School Food is leading the way to cooking & preparing better, healthier foods in the schools everyday. Our children are being exposed to foods they may have never been exposed too. Our workers are working with MORE fresh fruits and vegetables, many from local farms, than they ever have before! The strong commitment to TEAMWORK expressed by the staff comes through on the face of the children daily when they take their first bite of an ear of corn from a farm 8 miles up the road.
The NH School Food Community can take solace in that NH School Food is working closely with USDA to become the first school district in CT with the largest number of Gold with Distinction Healthier US School Challenge schools in CT. We are committed to the future health and well being of the students in our schools and are looking forward to working with USDA and CSDE as we re-evaluate our menus, health education and physical activity in our schools.
In the words of our First Lady Michelle Obama, "Let's Move!"
Stay tuned to this blog and our website http://www.nhps.net/ for exciting things happening with the country's most progressive school food program.
The Food & Nutrition Service Division of the USDA releases reimbursement rates for National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and Afterschool Snacks.
The official rate is an increase of 1.1%. The new free lunch will be $2.74, reduced is $2.34. The new free breakfast rate is $1.76, reduced is $1.46.
While it is nice to see an increase instead of a decrease it is still not enough to make a difference. All our costs continue to rise as well and a 1.1% increase is paltry in comparison to what school nutrition needs to effectively make a difference in the lives of children.
By signing on, you help to ensure that a robustly funded and comprehensive child nutrition reauthorization bill is passed before the end of the 111th Congress.
The national, state and community-based organization sign-on letter urges Senate leadership to bring The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, S. 3307, to the Senate floor with the full funding increase proposed by President Obama ($10 billion/10 years) - and the right mix of funding - before passage.
TAKE ACTION:
1) Join national, state, and community-based organizations from across the country and sign on to the letter. Click here to sign on.
2) Help create a groundswell of grassroots support at this critical time - encourage others in your network to join the letter. Use our Tell-A-Friend feature to distribute it to your networks and colleagues.
Click here for a PDF version of the letter and the latest list of signatures (updated bi-weekly).
The deadline for the letter is May 28, 2010.
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Background
As Congress moves forward with Child Nutrition Reauthorization, it is critical that advocates across the country mobilize to ensure that Congress passes a strong and robust bill that expands program access and participation by the end of the 111th Congress. The White House, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and 221 House Members are all committed in this effort to support President Obama's proposed $10 billion/10 years for the reauthorization effort. (The Senate Agriculture Committee-passed bill provides $4.5 billion/10 years.)
Click here to Tell-A-Friend and urge them to sign this important sign-on letter.
Thanks to FRAC for the information for this posting!
Congress is writing a new law that would help schools provide healthier food for their students.
Now we need your help! Learn how to lobby Congress and stand up for your health and the health of your family and all young people.
The Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, H.R. 4870 can help reverse America’s childhood obesity epidemic by enabling schools across the country to provide healthier options in the lunch line. The more people who call Congress on April 21, the greater the impact we can have. Tell your Member of Congress why YOU want healthy school meals.
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Wednesday, April 21: Call to ask your Member of Congress in
Washington, D.C., to support the Healthy School Meals Act.
Today I started the day by attending CT Speaker of the House Task Force on Children and the Recession Press Conference at Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro joined Speaker Christopher Donovan & Representative Gail Hamm to discuss the current hunger situation not only in CT but also in our country. Despite the fact that CT is a wealthy state there is a major lack of nutritious foods available for our children. On average 105,806 (13%) children under18 years of age in CT are food insecure. -- Feeding America Report, May 2009. In New Haven 24.2% of people live below the poverty line. (The national average household income of a family living below the poverty line is less than $21,834 per year.) -- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS, 2007
Our children are lucky to have such a strong advocate in DC; Congresswoman DeLauro is a huge supporter of our children. She is advocating on behalf of our children for an increase in funding within Child Nutrition Reauthorization. President Obama has asked for $1 billion a year over 10 years for funding; the Senate’s plan calls for only $450 million a year for 10 years. Congresswoman DeLauro will be marching up to the hill and engaging her colleagues to find the funding to fulfill the President’s request. In fact she thinks the $1 billion number for 10 years is too low and will be advocating for additional funding.
CT is leading the country in the fight against childhood hunger. CT is the first state to establish a Task Force on Children and the Recession, RB # 5360. The children in the recession leadership team are to implement and coordinate the state's emergency response to children affected by the recession. The team shall consist of the following members, or their designees: the Commissioners of Public Health, Education, Children and Families, Social Services, Higher Education and Developmental Services, the Labor Commissioner and the Chairman of the Child Poverty and Prevention Council.
Did you know that Connecticut is the last state in the nation for the percentage of schools participating in school breakfast, and only 39% of all children get breakfast? How about that 25% of children that eat a free or reduced price meal at school get a meal in the summer? That Summer Feeding programs help close the achievement gap? What about all the federal funding we're missing out on because of low participation rates? If CT were to ramp up school breakfast and summer feeding to rival the national average the state would see an influx of $8.4 million in reimbursements. Why are we leaving so much money on the table when there are SO MANY CHILDREN who need these meals?
In New Haven there are too many children who rely on school meals as their ONLY nutrition of the day. When schools are closed for vacation or the summer these children lack access to nutritious foods! New Haven is not alone in this predicament. Every town in the State of Connecticut has children that are HUNGRY.
School breakfast should be a requirement in all schools that operate the National School Lunch Program. Children that eat breakfast perform better in class; disciplinary issues disappear and attendance rates increase because children want to come to school so they can eat breakfast! Summer feeding should be required in schools with a free/reduced percentage of 50% or more. See pictures below of map of towns that operated a summer feeding site and the towns that served school breakfast in 2009.
Want to find out how many children in your child’s school are hungry and lack access to nutritious foods at home? Ask a teacher.
Want to help me change school meals to allow for ALL children to have access to nutritious meals through breakfast, summer feeding and increase in funding?
Call, email or write your CT and US Legislators and let them know that you support providing nutritious meals to ALL children in CT and that you support increasing funding to school meals across the board. Find your legislators by clicking here: http://www.votesmart.org/%20
Want to support ENDING CHILDHOOD HUNGER? Go to www.TasteOfTheNation.org/NewHaven and purchase your tickets or make a donation. 100% of ticket proceeds support the children of CT!
