Bring Child Nutrition Reauthorization to a Vote
Dear Representative,
I am writing to ask you to join me in working for a future in which fresh, healthy school meals are the norm.
To reach this important goal, I ask that you work for a timely reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act and fund the bill without taking funding from food stamps.
As the Act is reauthorized only once every five years, this is an important opportunity to shape the future of school food, particularly in light of First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to end childhood obesity in a generation.
The current bills in the Senate and House of Representatives include many health-promoting policy provisions. While these bills do not include adequate funding to fundamentally transform school food, they do include small increases in the reimbursements schools receive for the meals they provide. They also include many strong health-promoting policy provisions. In a situation where cash-strapped schools are already losing money on their meal programs and growing numbers of families rely on school food, it is important that Congress reauthorize the bill in a timely way.
I am contacting you today as your constituent to urge you to help bring this bill to the floor for a vote.
I believe that healthy school food is critical for children's health and learning. Research continues to document the connection between healthy lifestyles and students' success at school, underscoring the need to provide fresh, wholesome meals that model healthy eating habits and give students the nutrition and energy they need to learn. This issue is of particular importance in the school districts where the great numbers of students who rely on the National School Lunch Program -- those who are at risk of hunger, qualifying for free or reduced-price meals -- are also facing skyrocketing rates of obesity and related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes. A robust and adequately funded Child Nutrition Act will make a significant difference in promoting children's health and readiness to succeed at school.
Please consider my voice in support of a timely reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.
Sincerely,
Your name and address here
