FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEErik Peterson703-739-3900, ext. 124epeterson@schoolnutrition.org
Hundreds Call on Congress to Adequately Fund School Nutrition Programs
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (February 23, 2009) -- From March 1st to 4th more than 600 school nutrition professionals will gather in Washington, DC to give Members of Congress a message: school nutrition programs need to be adequately funded in order to continue to provide balanced, nutritious meals to students. The 37th annual School Nutrition Association Legislative Action Conference, coinciding with the beginning of the child nutrition reauthorization process, will focus on the crisis in funding for school meal programs as well as the need for national nutrition standards: urging Congress to require science-based, yet practical, uniform national school nutrition standards to govern the sale of all foods and beverages available during the school day.
It has been five years since Congress last reauthorized the child nutrition programs. Since 2003-2004, school nutrition programs serve more whole grain items, fruits and vegetables and low fat dairy, however the cost to offer nutritious choices and greater variety now exceeds the per meal reimbursement available to school nutrition programs. While required to be financially self-supporting, increased labor, food and indirect costs make it virtually impossible for most school nutrition programs to stay "in the black." Research shows that spending money on healthy school meals for children saves healthcare costs during adult years.
“Every school day school nutrition professionals must meet differing local, state and federal nutrition standards; provide quality, safe and healthful meals that kids enjoy; accommodate special dietary needs and food allergies of a diverse student body; all for less than $2.57 per meal,” said Dr. Katie WIlson, SNS, president of SNA. "The time has come to raise the meal reimbursement rate to an amount that reflects the true food, transportation, labor and benefits, training, equipment and indirect expenses necessary to provide a school meal." The key legislative issues the School Nutrition Association (SNA) is advocating for as part of child nutrition reauthorization are to:
Activities of the 37th annual Legislative Action Conference at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC will also include:
The School Nutrition Association is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. The Association and its members are dedicated to feeding children safe and nutritious meals. SNA is the only association devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children’s health and well being through school meals and sound nutrition education.
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Legislative Action Conference 2009
2009 Legislative Issue Paper
From the Kitchen to the Congress: A Child Nutrition Reauthorization Blog
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Erik Peterson703-739-3900, ext. 124epeterson@schoolnutrition.org
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (February 17, 2009) – Kids are a lot like superheroes – both need a lot of strength to meet the challenges they face everyday. A nutritious and healthy school breakfast gives students the energy to overcome barriers and succeed academically each day. This year, the School Nutrition Association will encourage more students to participate in school breakfast programs nationwide by teaming up with some very special superheroes for the “Power Up with School Breakfast” campaign.
During this year’s National School Breakfast Week, students nationwide are invited to join the School Breakfast Heroes – Mr. Breakfast, Crunch, Fruit Avenger, Yogurl, Sandwich Sensei, and their trusty sidekick Eggbot – on a morning adventure as they join together to rescue hungry kids from the plague of the Breakfast Skipper! From March 2-6, 2009, school cafeterias nationwide will encourage students to power up with a healthy, nutritious school breakfast.
Through out the week, students will learn about the health and academic benefits of starting their day with a balanced school breakfast. Through “Design Your Own Superhero” contests to creative writing projects, students will be able to learn about the power of breakfast and it’s awesome effect on academic achievement and overall student health.
School breakfast provides the necessary energy to start a day of learning and achievement, providing 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance of protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C and calories and meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Research has shown that children who eat breakfast at school:
• Score better in standardized tests • Have fewer health issues • Behave better in class
Furthermore, research indicates that kids who skip breakfast rarely make up for missed nutrients later in the day so skipping breakfast could also affect students’ performance in after-school activities. According to recent USDA research, “body mass index (BMI) data indicate that students who participated in the School Breakfast Program had a lower likelihood of overweight and obesity than non-participants.”
All school meals are served in age-appropriate portion sizes and schools have many different serving techniques - from ‘grab and go’ bags and hallway kiosks to breakfast in the classroom and traditional cafeteria service. Many schools are offering breakfast at no cost to students because of the proven value of eating breakfast. School breakfast today includes whole grains found in cereal, cereal bars and bagels, as well as fruit and low fat dairy including milk and yogurt.
The positive effects that eating breakfast has on students’ performance in school continues to grow as more schools are serving breakfast. The School Breakfast Program has been in place for about 40 years and today over ten million children eat school breakfast everyday.
The School Nutrition Association launched NSBW in 1989 to raise awareness about the availability of breakfast for all students at school and to draw attention to the link between eating a good breakfast and cognitive growth. SNA’s National School Breakfast Week promotions are made possible with support from the National Dairy Council and General Mills Foodservice.
The School Nutrition Association is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. The Association and its members are dedicated to feeding children safe and nutritious meals. Founded in 1946, SNA is the only association devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children’s health and well being through school meals and sound nutrition education.