May 23, 2013 – With the many changes occurring in school nutrition programs, SNA is continuing to track national participation levels for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Using data from USDA, SNA is specifically interested in comparing the participation rates for the 2012-13 school year with those from the 2011-12 school year. SNA will provide periodic updates on participation trends as the Association continues to monitor the data.

PARTICIPATION TRENDS:

National School Lunch Program

• Based on participation data for September through February, the average number of students participating in the National School Lunch Program for SY 2012-13 has decreased 3.3%, compared to the same time frame last school year (2011-12). The biggest decreases are seen in the paid meal category, with a 10.0% decrease, and the reduced-price category, with a 5.3% decrease. Average participation in the free category has increased 0.76%.

To view the National School Lunch Participation Tracking Charts, click here and here.

School Breakfast Program

• Based on participation data for September through January, 13.15 million students are participating in the School Breakfast Program for SY 2012-13. This is an increase of 2.6% compared to the same time frame last school year (2011-12). These increases are due to an increase in participation from students in the free meal category where 3.8% more students are participating. Average participation in the paid and reduced-price categories has decreased.

To view the School Breakfast Program Participation Tracking Charts, click here and here.

For more information about this information, please email research@schoolnutrition.org.

Source: Program Information Report. Program Reports, Analysis and Monitoring Branch, Budget Division, Financial Management, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (2012).
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/data.htm

May 22, 2013 – Even though thousands of SNA members attend the Annual National Conference (ANC) each year with the shared goal of professional development, that doesn’t mean the sights, sounds and tastes of the surrounding city need to be ignored. In fact, Travel + Leisure magazine just named Kansas City the most affordable getaway in the country! When you visit Kansas City, Missouri, for this year’s conference, take some time to discover everything that the “City of Fountains” has to offer.

The Sights
You can’t miss the fountains when you visit Kansas City—literally, the city is so rife with fountains that you won’t be able to miss them. Closest to the Convention Center, where the majority of ANC events take place, is the Barney Allis Plaza Fountain, which runs for nearly a block and features water cascading down a series of granite steps. Other noteworthy fountains include the Crown Center Square Fountain, which features synchronized 60-foot-high jets of water every hour (on the weekends) and the Henry Wollman Block Memorial Fountain in front of Union Station, which runs a water show for five minutes every half an hour.

Of course, Kansas City has non-water-based sights, too — don’t miss three of the nation’s “Art Deco treasures,” the Municipal Auditorium, Power and Light Building and Jackson County Courthouse. Stop into one of more of a dozen museums, including the nation’s only World War I museum and the American Jazz Museum.

The Sounds
“New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz, but America’s music grew up in Kansas City.” The city’s rich musical legacy is still bopping today at a slew of jazz and blue clubs dotting downtown Kansas City. According to the Kansas City Convention and Visitor’s Association, more than 20 area nightclubs feature jazz on a regular basis. Stop into one of the jazz clubs in the famed 18th and Vine District, known as one of the “cradles of jazz.” If you’re not a jazz fan, other nightclubs, theatres and entertainment options—particularly in the Power & Light District downtown Kansas City—can keep you busy after ANC’s sessions end for the day.

The Tastes
In December 2011, Saveur magazine named Kansas City “the next great grub city.” You can’t think about Kansas City without imagining mouthwatering barbecue—there are more barbecue restaurants per capita here than in any other city. This regional cuisine is marked by slow-smoking all sorts of meats, from pork to chicken to fish.

While it might seem blasphemous to skip barbecue, there are other cuisines to try—Kansas City is also known for great soul food and Mexican food. Plus, Travel + Leisure also ranked it as number 10 on the list of top cities for pizza in the country!

If you would like to take in the sights, sounds and tastes Kansas City has to offer, contact the concierge desk at your chosen hotel for more information about tours and sightseeing opportunities. Navigate to www.visitkc.com for itineraries, landmarks and more. Don’t forget to register for ANC 2013 by May 30, 2013, the deadline for the regular rate discount. Visit www.schoolnutrition.org/anc.

Related Links

ANC 2013

ANC Registration

City & Travel Info

May 21, 2013 – Over the last few days, powerful storms and tornadoes have ripped through America's heartland, leaving destruction and damage in its path. The city of Moore and the surrounding Oklahoma City area were particularly hard hit.

SNA would like to extend our thoughts to all those affected by severe storms, especially those SNA members and school districts directly impacted. If you would like to help those affected and are able to make a donation or volunteer your time, there are plenty of local and national organizations that need support. Here is a list of several organizations aiding in the relief efforts:

American Red Cross
The American Red Cross has one shelter open in Moore and is working on locating others. More than 25 emergency response vehicles are already in position, with more expected. The Red Cross is also sending in kitchen support trailers to provide meals to those forced out of their homes. People who wish to make a donation can support American Red Cross Disaster Relief, which helps provide food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by disasters like the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma and Texas, as well as disasters big and small throughout the United States by visiting redcross.org.

Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is responding to multiple locations in the Plains and Midwest that were impacted by recent devastating tornadoes. Supporters are encouraged to give online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity assists with cleanup, repairs and new construction efforts after disaster strikes. Donations to their Disaster Response Fund help people affected by these storms and disasters like them.

Feeding America
Feeding America is committed to continue to provide hunger relief services in this time of disaster and beyond. To learn more or to make a donation to Feeding America, click here.

Save the Children
Save the Children is focused on assisting the needs of children and families displaced by the tornado. To learn more or to make a donation, click here.

Operation USA
Operation USA, an international relief group, says it is "readying essential material aid -- emergency, shelter and cleaning supplies" to help Oklahoma's community health organizations and schools recover. To make a donation, click here.

AmeriCares
AmeriCares is deploying its disaster relief team to coordinate deliveries of relief supplies and medical aid for survivors. To learn more or to make a donation, click here.

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, in partnership with Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), is asking that the public support all rescue, recovery and disaster relief efforts by making donations. To contribute, click here.

The above list is not meant to be comprehensive. If you know of additional organizations, volunteer opportunities or ways of helping, please leave a comment below.

May 16, 2013 – Last week, SNA leaders attended the third annual Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids National Invitational Leadership Summit held in San Antonio.

Hosted by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the summit brought together 200 leaders from school nutrition, campus dining, chain restaurants, food manufacturers, commodity boards, public health, medicine and the media to discuss and debate ways to improve the health of K-12 students through food education, culinary strategy and flavor insight.

Those attending the summit from SNA included: President Sandra Ford, SNS, President-elect Leah Schmidt, SNS, Vice President Julia Bauscher, SNS, CEO Patricia Montague and Dean of Education Danny Seymour. Also in attendance and pictured below were former SNA presidents Nancy Rice, SNS, State Director, Child Nutrition Division at Georgia Department of Education, Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS, Executive Director of the National Food Service Management Institute, and Dr. Janey Thornton, SNS, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services.

SNA Dean of Education Danny Seymour and former SNA presidents Nancy Rice, Katie Wilson and Janey Thornton attended Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids

According to CIA, the key initiatives of the summit were to:

• Highlight the role food education, school menu R & D, culinary strategy, flavor insight and training have in advancing healthier food/beverage choices for K-12 students.
• Emphasize nutrition science and culinary insights that help expand healthful, flavorful and appealing food/beverage choices that meet the operational needs and cost constraints of school nutrition operations.
• Develop a national network of culinary R & D and resource development for school nutrition professionals.
• Examine insights from K-12 students and their parents related to how they think about nutrition, health and healthy food choices.
• Create model programs of food, culinary and nutrition excellence that can inspire broader action.
• Explore ways to enhance the role of chefs who wish to participate as volunteers in Chefs Move to Schools.

To learn more about the summit, visit the CIA’s website at www.ciaprochef.com/healthykids.