{"id":1936,"date":"2023-07-31T22:37:17","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T02:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unite-us-tailwind.local\/?p=1936"},"modified":"2024-06-26T12:40:48","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T16:40:48","slug":"back-to-school-keeping-kids-fed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniteus.com\/blog\/back-to-school-keeping-kids-fed\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to School: How School Lunch Programs are Keeping Kids Fed"},"content":{"rendered":"

As children embark on a new school year, the need for appropriate healthcare, behavioral health services, and social care does not end at the schoolyard. In fact, schools represent one of the most convenient and accessible touchpoints for children and families in need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A critical social barrier to quality education and health is adequate nutrition and access to food. <\/span>School lunch programs<\/span> may have gone in and out of favor over the years, but they are incredibly effective at increasing food security for school-aged children. With growing awareness of the importance of social care in overall health, it\u2019s time to recognize <\/span>school lunch programs<\/span> as essential to a healthy curriculum.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Challenges with Food Assistance for School-Aged Children<\/h2>\n

While six states have taken action to make school meals free to all students regardless of income, the process of receiving free meals is much more complicated for the vast majority of low-income American families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Families that do not already receive SNAP benefits must apply through their school to determine whether their household is eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. To be eligible, family income must fall well below the poverty line. This leaves a significant number of families who are not \u201cpoor\u201d enough to qualify, but not \u201cwell-off\u201d enough to feel food secure and provide their children with adequate food while at school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For many families already facing other difficult societal changes\u2014such as the rising costs of groceries and fuel\u2014this gap represents another significant burden. The application and enrollment<\/a> process is also time consuming and challenging. Typically, families need the support of a busy school staff<\/a> member to help with the submission of their application.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Programs such as the <\/span>Community Eligibility Provision<\/span><\/a> (CEP) can help <\/span>high-poverty<\/span><\/a> schools and districts offer school meals at no cost to enrolled students without family applications. But such support is not available to every school, district, or family in need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Schools are also challenged by the same supply chain obstacles and <\/span>rising cost<\/span><\/a> issues that almost every organization faces today. When traditional food supplies are not available, schools must still provide meals that meet USDA meal requirements or face fines, even though substitutions are often more costly.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A New Call to Meet Health and Social Needs Through School Lunch Programs<\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Why are universal<\/span> school lunch programs<\/span> so important?<\/span><\/p>\n

Access to well-balanced, nutritious meals has a direct impact on a child\u2019s ability to focus in school. S<\/span>chool lunch programs<\/span> provide reliability and consistency in a child\u2019s life, especially when they come from insecure, challenging, or disadvantaged circumstances. When school meals are available to all, the stigma associated with receiving food assistance is reduced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kids and their families have so much to worry about these days\u2014food shouldn\u2019t be one of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In recognition of this reality, the Biden Administration hosted the <\/span>White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health<\/span><\/a> in 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This was the first time such a program has been held since 1969. The conference addressed challenges in the nation\u2019s food system that are leading to food insecurity, chronic hunger, nutrition and health inequities, and the rise of diet-related chronic disease. Such challenges cost the nation hundreds of billions of dollars every year in preventable healthcare spending.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The program focuses on five pillars with concrete steps to meet the associated barriers:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n