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SNA Members to Advocate for Equal Access to School Meals

2021-03-04

SNA Members to Advocate for Equal Access to School Meals

775+ to host Congressional meetings during SNA’s Legislative Action Conference

ARLINGTON, VA – Next week, more than 775 school meal program operators from across the country will urge Congress to support school meals for all students at no charge and provide financial relief to offset continued school meal program losses. Participants in School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) 49th annual  Legislative Action Conference (LAC) will host virtual meetings with their Members of Congress to discuss SNA’s 2021 Position Paper, highlighting the importance of school meals to student success, the impact of the pandemic on the sustainability of these critical programs and the need for continued regulatory waivers.

“Now more than ever, as schools strive to overcome pandemic learning losses, we need to ensure all students are nourished and ready to learn,” said SNA President Reggie Ross, SNS. “With research demonstrating the link between school meals and academic achievement, providing equal access to healthy school meals is an investment in America’s future. Congress must also extend school meal program regulatory waivers to address ongoing pandemic challenges and provide financial relief to ensure the sustainability of these critical programs moving forward.”

LAC registrants will also participate in virtual educations sessions. Key sessions include:

Monday, March 8 

 

  • Keynote conversation between former White House Chiefs of Staff Andrew Card Jr. and Secretary Leon Panetta, moderated by Secretary Dan Glickman (1:20pm)

Tuesday, March 9 

 

  • USDA update on Child Nutrition Program regulations (1:15pm)  
  • Remarks by US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (2:15pm)
  • Lessons Learned from COVID: Best Practices, a panel discussion with school nutrition directors, State agency and industry representatives (2:30pm)

 

Abut School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 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.  For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals

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