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Contact: Diane Pratt-Heavner
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SNA Comments on Senate Child Nutrition Hearing
2014-06-12
National Harbor, MD (June 12, 2014) – Today, the School Nutrition Association (SNA), representing 55,000 professionals who operate child nutrition programs nationwide, applauded the Senate Agriculture Committee for holding a hearing to discuss the importance of child nutrition programs.
“School Nutrition Association members thank Committee Members for calling attention to the importance of child nutrition programs,” said SNA Chief Executive Officer Patti Montague, CAE. “SNA members are working on the frontlines in school cafeterias, preparing and serving the healthy meals that help 30 million students succeed in the classroom, so we know firsthand the importance of child nutrition programs. Our members see it every Monday morning on the faces of children eagerly waiting in line for school breakfast after a weekend without enough to eat. And they recognize the importance of their programs each time their students choose a fruit or vegetable they haven’t tried before.”
“The perspective of school nutrition professionals is more important today than ever before, as the National School Lunch Program is facing a historic decline in student participation, which threatens the long term financial solvency of child nutrition programs. As the Committee prepares for Child Nutrition Reauthorization, we hope Members will focus on ways to help schools reverse this troubling trend, which runs contrary to the goals and intent of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act,” said Montague.
“To increase the number of children who benefit from healthy school meals, Congress must provide school nutrition professionals with flexibility to help students adjust to healthy changes in their school cafeterias,” said Montague.
Yesterday, SNA hosted a conference call with school meal program operators from across the country to discuss both the successes and challenges they have experienced under new nutrition standards for school meals. Click here for details on SNA’s requests of USDA and Congress.
About School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 55,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. To find out more about today’s school meals, visit www.TrayTalk.org.
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