Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey introduced a bill Wednesday which would assist nutrition programs in schools, helping them to cover the costs of purchasing healthy, nutritious foods.
The “National Child Hunger Relief Act of 2010” would provide funding to help federal school nutrition assistance programs adjust to rising food prices and cover the costs of food for those most in need.
“For millions of Americans facing hunger, the ability to afford the food they so desperately need has become increasingly difficult. Congress can and must do more to make sure that school nutrition programs adequately cover the costs of healthy, nutritious foods that these children need,” stated Sen. Casey in a press release. “That is why I am pleased to introduce this bill which will help make critical changes needed to help schools cover the costs of purchasing healthy, nutritious foods.”
Reimbursement changes
Each summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets new levels for school meal reimbursement rates based on the average of the previous year’s food price inflation. However, soon after implementation, especially in years of high food price inflation, these reimbursements begin lagging far behind current prices.
Sen. Casey’s bill would provide semi-annual reimbursement rate adjustments for child nutrition programs. In addition to the annual update in July to reimbursement rates for school meal programs, reimbursement rates would also be adjusted for inflation each January.
“This would help tremendously,” said Maria Liptak, Director of Food Services for the Western Wayne School District. “We rely on state and federal money to run our meal programs, so more funding would be a big help.”
As a result of this change, reimbursement rates for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, the Special Milk Program, the Child and Adult Day Care Program, as well as the Summer Food Service Program could more accurately reflect the costs that schools or service providers incur to provide foods through these programs.
Pa receives meals grant
The USDA awarded Pennsylvania a $630,132 grant to increase enrollment in school meal programs.
The funding for Pa is a portion of $1.9 million in USDA grants announced Wednesday going to five states to increase enrollment in school meal programs through direct certification and verification processes.
Direct certification allows states and local educational agencies to automatically certify children enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program (TANF) for free school meals without the need for household applications.
Medicaid records also can be matched to simplify verification of eligibility for school meals programs. Pa will use its funds to identify children who are enrolled in Medicaid that are eligible to receive school meals but are currently not signed up for a school meal program.
These grants are intended to improve access, increase accuracy and reduce paperwork in school nutrition programs by simplifying the certification and verification process, thereby ensuring that every eligible child is enrolled in a school meal program.
Wayne County, Pa. —
