Take Action: Urge the Senate to Pass HEROES 2! 2020-10-29Since COVID disruptions began in the spring, we’ve seen school nutrition advocates like you speak up to ask for the necessary funding and provisions to keep programs running and children fed. Because of powerful and engaged citizens like yourself, Congress and the USDA have provided some helpful measures – but our work is not done. We need you to raise your voice once again! On October 1st, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an Updated HEROES Act. Among other provisions, the bill provides “as much funding as necessary” to help offset operating-cost deficits due to the pandemic. The bill also provides increased flexibility for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), ensures that commodity allocations and other child nutrition program calculations are held harmless during months of severe impact, and requires the Secretary of Agriculture to make waiver applications, approvals and denials public in a timely manner. Please write your Senators today and urge swift passage of this updated HEROES Act. School nutrition programs need you to speak up now!