December 30, 2008 -- 2008 marked another successful year for the School Nutrition Association. This year, SNA introduced new programs and launched improved versions of old ones. Throughout the year, people turned to SNA for expert information on school nutrition, further solidifying the Association as the voice of school nutrition. Read on for more information about several major events that happened in school nutrition in 2008.
Rising Costs, Rising Participation – The rising cost of school meals dominated headlines throughout 2008. In the spring, various major news outlets, including the Washington Post, the NBC Today Show, USA Today, National Public Radio Marketplace, and ABC World News Tonight Weekend covered the issue of escalating food costs. The story was carried in newspapers and on local news programs throughout the summer. In October, SNA released a report, Heats On: School Meals Under Financial Pressure, that provided an in-depth look how school nutrition programs are dealing with increasing financial strain.
In the fall, as the economy worsened, the media’s focus shifted to rising student participation in the free and reduced price meal categories. In December, SNA released another report looking at the economic crisis and school nutrition programs nationwide. In Saved by the Lunch Bell: As Economy Sinks, School Nutrition Program Participation Rises, approximately 80 percent of school districts noticed a rise in the number of students receiving free school meals. A nationally syndicated story on the report appeared in newspapers and on local television stations across the country.
Both the media coverage and the reports spurred interest from Congress. In late September, Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) introduced legislation that would provide for semi-annual reimbursement rates for the school nutrition programs. In December, Congressional Democrats began circulating a letter calling for additional funding for school nutrition programs in the next economic stimulus package. A letter from House Democrats to the Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) calls for $1 billion or $0.15 per meal for the federal school nutrition programs. Debate on an economic stimulus package is expected to begin once the new Congress begins in January.
National School Nutrition Standards Released – In June, SNA released it’s suggested guidelines for National School Nutrition Standards. These suggested standards were the culmination of several months works by the SNA National School Food and Beverage Standards Task Force. The guidelines were created due to a need for consistent, national nutrition standards that would address all foods and beverages sold outside of the federal school meals programs during the school day.
In developing the standards, the Task Force considered these goals:
For additional information on the SNA National School Nutrition Standards, please visit this link.
School Nutrition Receives Record Exposure – School nutrition received a record amount of exposure this year. Over 137 million people saw stories featuring SNA and the federal school nutrition programs. SNA spokespeople were featured in stories on the NBC Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, and CBS Evening News. SNA spokespeople were also heard on National Public Radio, CNN radio, CBS radio, and AP radio. Major newspapers including the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Houston Chronicle, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatcher carried stories about the school nutrition programs.
The school nutrition programs were also featured prominently in several association magazines and at allied organization conferences. School nutrition was the cover story of National PTA’s magazine, Our Children. SNA President Katie Wilson, PhD was also the subject of a feature interview in the National School Boards Association magazine, American School Board Journal. She was also featured as speaker at a webinar on local school wellness policies sponsored by Action for Healthy Kids.
School District Owned Membership Initiated – This year, SNA began offering a new membership option to Association members. Through a pilot program, SNA members in Arizona, Tennessee, and Georgia were able to join through a School District Owned Membership (SDM). Under this new option, a membership that is owned by the school district in the name of an individual is transferable to another employee in the same membership category if the original member leaves the school district. All of the benefits are the same for the member; the difference is that the school district owns the membership. The SDM option is intended to make it easier for school districts to pay for employee membership fees.
Since the start of the program, over 3,000 members have joined SNA through the SDM option. In October 2008, a record number of members joined through this new option. Throughout 2009, SNA will continue to expand this membership option to additional states.
New Certification Program Launched – SNA unveiled it’s newly revised certification program for SNA members this summer. Recognizing the importance of professional development and education, the Association revised the certification program to encourage SNA members to achieve the highest professional standards in their field. The new program is based on the standards of practice and indicators in the Keys to Excellence in School Food and Nutrition Program, a program that defines nationally accepted standards for quality programs.
SNA Responds to the USDA Beef Recall – In the early part of 2008, the school nutrition world was rocked with a food safety crisis. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recalled over 143 million pounds of beef produced by the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. The recall was the largest single recall of food every conducted by the government. It was prompted in response to allegations regarding abuse and mistreatment of “downer” cattle by plant employees.
As soon as it was announced, SNA swiftly responded to the recall. In media interviews, articles, and Congressional testimony, SNA repeatedly asserted the stellar food safety record of the school nutrition programs and outlined the steps schools were taking to remove and discard the recalled beef. SNA also continually advocated for better communication between USDA and the school nutrition programs.
No children became sick to due the beef served in schools.
SNA Revises it’s Website - This summer, SNA launched a new version of its website, www.schoolnutrition.org. With the smiling faces of children and bright colors, visitors were greeted with a newly organized SNA website. Among the features of the redesigned website are easier to navigate pages, increased interactivity through discussion boards and online communities, and a resource center with links to research and program information arranged by topic.
It’s A Measure of Excellence… – The last 20 years of the School Nutrition Association’s history was chronicled last summer in the newly released book, A Measure of Excellence. Covering the history of the Association from it’s move to Alexandria, Va. from Denver, Colo. to the present day fight for national nutrition standards. The book provided readers with an insider’s look at how the school nutrition programs have affected children over several decades.
…And a Job Well Done! – In March, SNA published Well Done! School Nutrition Professionals Put Wellness Policies to Work, a booklet that provided inspiration and practical advice to school communities implementing local school wellness policies. Through a variety of examples, readers learned how school nutrition professionals across the country are seizing opportunities and meeting challenges in implementing local school wellness policies. The booklet became one of the best selling items in the SNA bookstore.
Magazine and Marketing Awards – Both the SNA marketing and magazine staff received several national awards for their work this year. SNA was honored with several prestigious awards for its communications and public awareness efforts. The 2008 National School Breakfast Week campaign “School Breakfast: Fuel Your Imagination” received a Gold Hermes Award from the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals. The websites for both the National School Lunch Week campaign, "Vote for School Lunch 2008" and the 2009 National School Breakfast Week campaign, "Power Up with School Breakfast" received Silver W3 Awards from the International Academy of the Visual Arts for creative excellence on the web.
School Nutrition, the flagship publication of the Association received two awards from the peer-reviewed EXCEL Awards contest sponsored by the Society of National Associations Publications. The magazine earned honors for Magazine-General Excellence (in the category of 50,000+ readers) and for its media kit.
December 29, 2008 – A recently revised guide to green cleaning in schools includes new sections on sustainability, green cleaning for school nutrition programs, integrated pest management, new technologies and more. SNA is one of 16 national organizations that support the new publication, Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools, which was developed by the Chicago-based Healthy Schools Campaign.
The states of Illinois and New York require green cleaning in schools, and schools in other states are moving toward green cleaning in efforts to protect the health of building occupants while reducing schools’ impact on the environment. The Quick & Easy Guide offers an authoritative, easy-to-use resource for getting started or moving forward with a healthy, effective, affordable green cleaning program.
In the two years since its initial release, more than 70,000 copies of the guide have been distributed. The five simple steps outlined in the guide are used as the basis for the American School & University national green cleaning award for schools. Last month, a wide range of organizations and state-level advocates met at the Green Clean Schools National Summit in Washington, D.C. to discuss green cleaning in schools at the state level.
The guide includes a handbook outlining five simple steps for setting up a green cleaning program, such as switching to green cleaning products and equipment, adopting new cleaning procedures, introducing green paper and plastic products and involving all school stakeholders in the process. An accompanying CD contains comprehensive information, practical advice, tools and resources to help schools learn more and institutionalize their efforts. The new guide includes an enhanced purchasing directory with more than 500 products that meet environmental standards for schools.
To access the Guide online or order a hard copy, see Related Links below.
Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools
December 23, 2008 – This month the Economic Research Service of the USDA issued a report that offers several suggestions from the college foodservice environment that might promote healthy eating behaviors among high school students. The report, entitled “Behavioral Economic Concepts to Encourage Healthy Eating in School Cafeterias: Experiments and Lessons from College Students,” concludes that changes to the meal payment and menu selection process could result in overall improved eating habits.
The report summary explains that some researchers are turning to behavioral economics, “which tries to explain why people act as they do and what incentives can modify behavior,” as a way to study eating patterns and .help individuals make healthier food choices. The report seeks to understand how behavioral interventions influence food choice and diet quality in order to help school nutrition professionals and others develop possible strategies to promote healthy eating.
The report describes a behavioral experiment in a college cafeteria, which assessed the effects of various menu selection methods and payment options on food choices. The experiment was designed to apply within the context of any cafeteria including secondary schools.
Among the findings in the report were the following:
The report presents results from an experiment comparing the effects of various behavioral intervention strategies on the food choices of college students. Participants in the experiment were recruited from Cornell University. The experiment’s participants used three types of payment options and two different meal selection methods.
To access the full report se Related Links below.
Behavioral Economic Concepts to Encourage Healthy Eating in School Cafeterias (PDF)
December 22, 2008 -- In preparation for the reauthorization of the child nutrition and WIC programs, a diverse group of national organizations, co-chaired by the School Nutrition Association and the Food Research and Action Center, and representing anti-hunger, religious, education, medical, nutrition, direct service, school food, pre-school and child care, unions, children, after school, industry, agriculture and a host of others, have joined together in support of a "Statement of Principles" to guide reauthorization efforts.
The Child Nutrition Forum Statement of Principles outlines key issues that must be addressed in the 2009 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization legislation. The Forum calls on the Administration and Congress to enact a bill that:
The Child Nutrition Forum was formed in the late 1970’s by former Senator George McGovern (D-S.D.). Since that time, SNA and the Food Research and Action Center have co-chaired the Forum. Over several hundred diverse organizations representing 20 million people participate in the ad hoc coalition, including the American Dietetic Association, Congressional Hunger Center, National PTA, and the National Education Association. Every five years the Forum comes together to help create legislation that will affect the federal child nutrition programs for the next several years.
Please consider adding your state or local chapter to the list of groups already supporting the Child Nutrition Forum. Companies, school boards, and local community grassroots are also encouraged to sign on.
To view and sign onto the statement of principles, please visit the link below.
December 20, 2008 -- House Democrats are calling for $1billion in funding for the school nutrition programs in a new stimulus package bill. In a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Democrats are calling on Congress to include approximately $26 billion in the Economic Recovery Package. If included, the $1 billion increase for school nutrition programs would amount to approximately $0.15 per meal for lunch and breakfast, regardless of the participation category. In addition to the school nutrition funding, the letter calls for funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps,) food banks, the WIC program and other nutrition assistance programs.
SNA sent out an action alert on Tuesday afternoon, calling on its members to ask their Democratic members of Congress to sign on to this letter. As of the morning of Dec. 19th, approximately 522 email action alerts had been sent. SNA estimates about 250 calls were also made by SNA members to the Capitol switchboard to reach Democrat House members on the same issue. There has been a strong showing of support in particular from North Carolina.
When the letter was sent on December 19, 2008, one hundred six Democrats had signed on to the letter. Additionally, ten Senate Democrats sent a letter with economic stimulus proposals to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) requesting federal funding for nutrition assistance programs including an increase in school meal reimbursement. The Economic Recovery Package could be voted on by mid to late January 2009, and is expected to include over $500 billion to help stimulate the economy.
For a copy of both sign on letters, please visit the link below.
House Democratic Sign On letter (.pdf format)
Senate Democratic Sign On letter (.pdf format)
December 19, 2008 -- The January 2009 issue of The Journal of Nutrition includes a research article showing an increase in elementary student consumption of fruits and vegetables in schools where high fat and high sugar snacks are restricted. A majority of school nutrition programs already have policies in place that limit high fat or high sugar snacks.
The study authors examined whether a policy that restricts the availability of snack foods in schools is associated with greater fruit and vegetable consumption in a nationally representative sample of 5th grade children. The study surveyed 10,285 fifth-graders at 2,065 elementary schools nationwide. School administrators reported on snack-restriction policies and snack availability from vending machines, school stores, snack bars and cafeterias.
The research “Restricting Snacks in U.S. Elementary Schools Is Associated with Higher Frequency of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption" was authored by Wendy Gonzalez, Sonya J. Jones and Edward A. Frongillo at the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities and Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior of the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina.
Children in schools with restricted snack availability had significantly higher frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption than children in schools without restricted snack availability. The authors conclude that a restrictive snack policy should be part of a multi-faceted approach to improve children's diet quality.
SNA’s 2008 Back to School Trends Report of 358 school districts nationwide found that 71.8% of districts have policies in place that limit the fat content of a la carte and vended items, and 70.1% have policies that reduced or limit the amount of added sugar in snack foods. SNA research findings from the 2007 School Nutrition Operations Report found that 95.7% of school districts offer fresh fruits and vegetables daily with equally nutritious canned, dried and frozen fruits and vegetables even more common.
The University of South Carolina authors found about a 3 percent increase in fruit and vegetable intake among children in schools that restricted the availability of snacks. The children themselves reported on their fruit and vegetable consumption for the entire day, not just during school hours and not just snacks.
With regard to the study’s conclusion on restrictive snack policies, the School Nutrition Association supports consistent, science based national school nutrition standards. SNA urges Congress, as part of the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization process, to give the US Department of Agriculture the authority to set national nutrition standards for foods and beverages available outside of the school meal programs anywhere on school campus during the entire school day including those items sold through vending machines, school stores, a la carte lines, fundraisers and other school venues.
The Journal of Nutrition – article abstract
Limiting school snacks boosts fruit, veggie consumption
SNA National Nutrition Standards
December 19, 2008 -- Food banks across America are reporting a 30 percent increase in requests for emergency food assistance, according to a new survey conducted by Feeding America, the nation’s association of food banks. At the same time, a new public opinion poll released by the organization finds that many Americans are unable to provide adequate amounts of nutritious food to their families, due to the current economic crisis.
Feeding America received responses from 160 of their 205 food bank members for the “local impact survey.” It gauged increases in requests for emergency food assistance and how the nation’s food banks are coping with the dramatic spike in current demands. The national poll was commissioned by Feeding America to assess the impact of the economic downturn on low-income households. The Feeding America survey results complement a report released by the School Nutrition Association last week that showed almost 80% of school districts have seen an increase in free and reduced price meal participation this school year.
More than 90 percent of food banks respondents cited increases in food prices and unemployment as the primary factors contributing to the increase in requests for emergency food assistance. More than 60 percent cited fuel, and 52 percent cited the inadequacy of food stamp benefits Seventy-two percent of food banks reported that they are not able to adequately meet the needs of their communities without adjusting the amount of food distributed – offering smaller amounts of food and groceries to those in need – or their operations.
According to Feeding America, many low-income Americans, who are living just above the income eligibility threshold for the Supplemental Food Assistance Program (formerly named the Food Stamp Program), are experiencing food insecurity for the first time. In the public opinion poll, 63 percent of respondents reported that in the past year, their food didn’t last and they could not afford to buy more. Forty percent ate less than they felt they should, and 36 percent cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there wasn’t enough money for food. Forty percent reported that they have had to choose between paying for food and utilities in the past year. One in three food stamp recipients reported that their benefits only lasted for two weeks or less.
Additionally, the financial crisis is compromising low-income Americans’ ability to access nutritious food at grocery stores. Nearly 70 percent of low-income respondents reported that they are cutting back on food spending and 62 percent reported having to make more shopping trips for food because they didn’t have enough money to buy everything at one time.
Feeding America urged Congress to pass economic recovery legislation that will offer desperately needed relief to both low-income Americans and the nation’s food banks, as well as 30 million school children through school based nutrition programs, as the recent surge in unemployment has pushed millions to the brink of hunger.
For more details on the survey, see Related Links below.
Feeding America Local Impact Survey Results Summary
Feeding America
SNA Report: More Children Eating Healthy School Meals During Economic Downturn
December 19, 2008 -- Are you thinking of attending LAC, but aren’t sure if you’ll get the support both professionally and financially from your employer? Many school districts are facing similar issues with budget cuts and travel restrictions. Build a strong case for attending LAC by sharing these top reasons.
Top 10 Reasons to Support Attendance at the 2009 Legislative Action Conference March 1 to 4, 2009 Washington, DC
You may also use this customizable letter to send directly to your school leadership asking for their support.
December 17, 2008 -- The Institute of Medicine Committee on Nutrition Standards and Meal Requirements for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs released their Phase I report today. The report provides an overview of the school meal programs, current meal requirements and the reasons behind updating program standards.
The report outlines the committee's proposed working principles and criteria which it will use to direct all review, analysis and deliberations during Phase II of this project. Final recommendations will be developed with consideration of the working principles and will be designed to best meet all four criteria.
Working Principle Topics:
Overview of Proposed Criteria:
A significant portion of the report focused on the proposed planning model for establishing nutrition standards and on plans for the Phase II analysis of the committee's revisions. The committee will consider recommending the use of food intake targets to develop recommendations. The committee felt the food based approach may simplify menu planning and monitoring. During Phase II, the committee will analyze the impact of their recommendations on program cost, program administration and student participation by comparing a set of current school menus to a set of menus planned by using proposed revisions.
Request for Public Comment:
The committee welcomes public comments about its intended approach. An open forum will be held January 28, 2009 in Washington, DC to receive input from the public. Please go to http://www.iom.edu/fnb/schoolmeals for details on how to provide comment or register for the public meeting. Email FNBSchoolMeals@nas.edu with any input. Please see Related Links for the full report.
Nutrition Standards and Meal Requirements for National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs: Phase I. Proposed Approach for Recommending Revisions
December 16, 2008 -- The SNA Board of Directors has endorsed SNA President Katie Wilson, PhD and SNA Past President Janey Thornton, PhD as nominees for the position of Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. In letters sent to President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, SNA expressed support for these two leaders. The SNA Board of Directors will also be submitting letters in support of other candidates for positions within the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education. Keep checking www.schoolnutrition.org for additional information, including how you can advocate for each of these nominees.
December 15, 2008 -- The American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA) has released a resource that provides guidance for school nutrition directors on commodity processing. The Recipient Agency Processing Handbook details how the USDA Foods (formerly commodities) program functions. The manual also includes a model recipient agency and distributor agreement. For a copy of the handbook, please visit Related Links.
SNA has a variety of resources to help school nutrition directors run their district’s school nutrition program. Included on the SNA website are tools to help with:
For additional information, visit the Resource Center.
Recipient Agency Processing Handbook Model Recipient Agency – Distributor Agreement FormResource Center
December 15, 2008 -- Registration is now open for the 2009 Legislative Action Conference. Plan to be in Washington, DC, March 1-4, 2009 for this exciting and educational conference. 2009 will be a pivotal year for the school nutrition programs. This year, Congress considers the 2009 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act while the school nutrition programs grow more popular in the face of a difficult economy. Come to LAC to help make your mark on important child nutrition legislation this year.
LAC is considered the premier legislative meeting on child nutrition issues. LAC 2009 offers many new and exciting programs, speakers, and breakout sessions, including:
Noted political commentator Ronald Brownstein is the keynote speaker for LAC 2009. Brownstein is the political director for the Atlantic Media Company and author of a weekly column that appears in both the National Journal and the Los Angeles Times. He has appeared frequently on “Meet the Press,” and “This Week with George Stephanopolous” and previously appeared regularly on “Face the Nation,” “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” and “Washington Week in Review.” Brownstein has twice been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, receiving that recognition for his coverage in the Los Angeles Times of both the 1996 and 2004 presidential campaigns. He also had the distinction of being named one of Washington’s 20 “best and most influential” journalists by Washingtonian magazine in 2001.
Of course, there are many more reasons to attend LAC 2009! With so much information available, this conference is sure to be one of the most rewarding conferences you’ll attend all year! The special Early Bird registration rate closes January 23, 2009, so don’t delay—Register today!
LAC 2009
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service has posted summaries of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization listening sessions. The summaries include highlights from comments presented during each of the sessions. Some of the issues raised during the listening sessions include:
To view the complete set of listening session comments, visit the USDA Child Nutrition Reauthorization Listening Sessions page.
The USDA listening sessions were the kickoff for Reauthorization 2009. The sessions were held in seven cities across the country from June to September 2008. Over 320 individuals presented at the sessions, while the public was also welcomed to submit comments through the USDA website. SNA leaders in each city provided remarks on behalf of the Association, highlighting SNA priorities for Reauthorization 2009.
December 12, 2008 -- As unemployment climbs and the economy softens, the number of families participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly the Food Stamp program) has hit record highs. Government statistics released December 5th showed unemployment rates have reached the highest level in 15 years; while a record 31.6 million Americans were receiving SNAP benefits as of September. With the increased number of families on food assistance, it is now easier for families enrolled in the SNAP program to qualify for free school meals.
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 required a phase in for school districts to directly certify families enrolled in SNAP for participation in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. As of the 2008-2009 school year, school districts of all enrollment sizes should be directly certifying families on SNAP for school meals. The direct certification process should remove the need for families on SNAP to fill out a separate school meal application, however in some cases filling out a meal application may still be required.
School nutrition directors should work with their local and state education and human services agencies to ensure that lists of individuals receiving SNAP benefits are passed along to school nutrition programs in a consistent and timely manner to ensure those families are able to receive free school meals. Families that enrolled in SNAP since September may not have been on lists of eligible families provided to school nutrition programs in August. The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) released the SNAP/Food Stamp Toolkit for Changing Times: Rebranding, Program Improvements and Economic Hardship resource in October of 2008. The toolkit, available here, includes background information on the changes made to SNAP in the 2008 Farm Bill as well as outreach ideas that can help increase participation in SNAP and consequently access to free school meals.
School nutrition directors are also encouraged to let families know that it is possible to reapply for free or reduced price school meals by paper application if their household income or employment situation has changed since the start of the school year. Sometimes it may take time to enroll in SNAP whereas filling in a school meal application and becoming certified for free or reduced price meals can be done quickly. Some school nutrition directors are also working with large employers in their communities that are going through lay-off to ensure affected families are aware of the school meal and SNAP programs.
Using flexibility under federal law, some states are providing SNAP benefits to families with incomes up to 200% of federal poverty. These families can now be directly certified to receive free school meals as well. Washington State has enacted this provision, allowing access to free and reduced price meals to families up to 200% of poverty. Check with your state department of education and human services to see if such a provision is being considered in your state.
Report: More Children Eating Healthy School Meals During Economic Downturn
December 11, 2008 -- In November of 2008 GCNF was approached by senior level officials in the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) with a request to partner on a school feeding project in the Chengdu region of the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese requested technical assistance to start model school feeding programs in Deyang, a city situated 50 kilometers from Chengdu, the capitol of Sichuan Province. Deyang, a key industrial city in Western China, suffered serious damage from the May 12, 2008 earthquake along with the six cities under the administration of Deyang. Schools and communities are being rebuilt, and in the process there is increasing need and community support for school feeding. As priority for elementary and middle school education increases, school feeding becomes a viable initiative to motivate school attendance and enhance academic achievement.
The stated goal of the preliminary proposal submitted by GCNF was for, “primary school students in target areas in Sichuan Province to have daily access to nutritious meals at school.” After a series of meetings at FAS headquarters in Washington, DC in early December 2008 a core development team (CDT) of several multi-disciplinary specialists representing organizations involved in school feeding globally was appointed. The CDT, including a two member team from GCNF, will travel to China in February 2009 for meetings with government officials in Beijing followed by a needs assessment to be conducted in Chengdu. After this initial trip the CDT will implement a four step action plan to include:
FAS also agreed to fund a team from Chengdu on a fact finding mission to the United States to observe school feeding models. This trip would be followed up by intensive onsite training in China using GCNF’s School Feeding Toolkit. FAS and GCNF hope to establish model school feeding programs in at least four schools in Sichuan Province by 2012.
Global Child Nutrition Foundation
December 10, 2008 -- Barbara Belmont, Executive Director, School Nutrition Association (SNA) said “Individual determination can achieve great things. Individual determination multiplied can generate amazing results! That’s why a team approach to any goal is so critical to its ultimate success.” The Columbia County (Ga.) School Nutrition Association demonstrated the essence of teamwork by coordinating a district-wide effort to raise money for last year’s Change Our World campaign to benefit the efforts of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF).
Columbia County’s Assistant Superintendent Mr. Robert(left) presents $7,500 check to Georgia SN Director, Nancy Rice (right)
Twenty-three schools in the Columbia County district participated in various activities (including “Collecting Change for Change,” “Hats Off to Change,” votes for school lunch and handpainting projects) that were designed to generate donations to the worthy cause. The enthusiasm and commitment—and teamwork—of Columbia County’s child nutrition professionals, principals, staff and students efforts raised a whopping $7,500! This astonishing donation has made the Columbia County district the second leading contributor in the 2008 Change Our World Campaign. GCNF greatly appreciates this generosity as it will support our efforts to establish school feeding programs in developing countries throughout the world.
On October 23, 2008, Columbia County’s School Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Robert Jarrell, Board of Education Chair, Regina Buccafusco and School Nutrition Director, Dr. Jane Wiggins presented a check of $7,500 to Georgia’s School Nutrition Director and SNA’s Vice President, Nancy Rice. Congratulations and thank-you to this fantastic team.
December 10, 2008 -- SNA President Katie Wilson, PhD, SNS recently presented on the role of school nutrition programs in local school wellness policies during an Action for Healthy Kids webinar. Over 2,000 public health professionals, educators, activists, and government officials participated in the Monday, December 8th webinar. During the webinar, Dr. Wilson discussed how school nutrition programs are meeting school wellness policy requirements and associated challenges by providing nutritious, balanced meals made with more whole grains, low-fat dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. Throughout the webinar, Dr. Wilson called for additional funding to allow the school nutrition programs to continue these efforts.
Dr. Wilson was joined by several other noted public health and education officials including:
The webinar can be viewed starting Thursday, December 11, 2008 on the Action for Healthy Kids website.
Call to Leadership: Elevating School Wellness to a Higher Level
December 9, 2008 -- The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing on the role of the federal food assistance programs in promoting health, preventing disease, and fighting hunger on Monday, December 8, 2008. In his opening statement, Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) argued that the child nutrition programs need to be looked at as more than food assistance programs, but also as preventative health programs. Other senators, including Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called for increased funding for the school nutrition programs. Witnesses testifying emphasized the nutritional value of school meals and the important role of the federal child nutrition programs during the economic downturn. Witnesses included:
For additional information on the hearing, please see the links below.
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry (To view testimony, click on Hearings, then Monday, December 8, 2008)
Senator Leahy Statement
School health experts warn of growing hunger
Dr. Virginia Stallings
December 9, 2008 -- Dr. Virginia Stallings, chair of the Institute of Medicine Committee to Review the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program Meal Patterns and Standards will speak at LAC Wednesday morning, March 4, 2009. Dr. Stallings will update LAC attendees regarding the committee’s progress. Please make sure you stay for this very important session on Wednesday morning.
The Committee to Review the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program Meal Patterns and Standards is charged with reviewing and assessing the food and nutritional needs of school-aged children in the United States based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Dietary Reference Intakes. The committee will then develop a set of economical and practical recommendations for new meal pattern requirements and standards that reflect current nutrition science and better meet the nutritional needs of students. These recommendations, compiled in a final report, will then be used to develop new meal pattern requirements for the school nutrition programs. Other committee members come from a variety of backgrounds in academia, school foodservice, and medicine.
Dr. Stallings is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine. She is also the Jean A. Cortner Endowed Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Director of the Nutrition Center, and Director of the Office of Faculty Development at the Joseph Stokes Jr. Research Institute and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She previously served as chair of the Nutrition Standards for Food in Schools Committee, which created recommendations for competitive food items.
Keep checking the Legislative Action Conference page for more information.
December 8, 2008 - Your School Nutrition Association (SNA) Regional Directors are looking forward to the winter months ahead. Read what has been happening at the national and state level lately and what you can expect as you start the New Year.
Highlights in these letters include recounts of national and state meetings, updates on membership and certification in your region and important deadline reminders. Click on the links below to read your region's newsletter.
(Newsletters are in .pdf format, view with Adobe Acrobat)
December 5, 2008 -- Every day in schools across the country USDA Foods (formerly known as "USDA commodities") play a vital role to support the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). USDA Foods function as an important resource for schools and an effective tool for strengthening American agriculture. USDA Foods account for about 15-20% of food served in the NSLP. Every dollar a school spends of commodities represents a dollar saved on other commercial food purchases. The Food Distribution Division (FDD) of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service has developed a “white paper” that provides background information and an overview of USDA Foods in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The white paper provides an in-depth look at a wide variety of topics relating to the commodity program.
Among the topics covered are:
The USDA Foods White Paper can be used to train new employees about the program or to brush up on some of the language, procedures and new improvements in commodities. To access the paper, please visit Related Links.
USDA Foods White Paper
December 3, 2008 -- If you are planning to attend SNA’s Child Nutrition Industry Conference (CNIC) this January, consider signing up for SNA’s Helping Hands Volunteer Opportunity. Volunteers will spend an afternoon restoring schools throughout New Orleans that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
The activity will take place from 2:00-5:00 pm CST on Monday, January 19, 2009. Busses will pick volunteers up at the Sheraton Hotel at approximately 1:30 pm and transport them to the schools where a light lunch and refreshments will be provided. Then it’s off to work! Volunteers will have the opportunity to paint a mural at a local high school and unpack and shelve donated books, among other activities.
Don’t delay – space is limited and attendees must sign up in advance in order to participate in this activity! Visit www.schoolnutrition.org/cnic for information on how to sign-up.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for industry members. Please contact nbawden@schoolnutrition.org for more information.
CNIC 2009