Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307) Passes Senate

On Thursday, the Senate unanimously passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307). The act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish national nutrition standards that would apply to all food sold on school campuses during the day, including the food that comes out of vending machines.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will provide an increase in the federal reimbursement rate for school lunch programs and significantly reduce the amount of paperwork required for schools to receive the reimbursements. It will also remove the limit on the number free meals a private, non-profit entity can serve children in the summer.

The next step is to get this bill passed in the House of Representatives. With one in four children in the United States at risk of hunger, this needs to be taken care of before school starts in just a few weeks.

The similar bill in the House of Representatives is the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504).

Slow Food USA has put together a letter to send to your representative. By using their link, you’ll be signed up for their newsletter. Slow Food USA has interesting stuff in their newsletter, but I want to be sure you know what you’re getting into.

Alternatively, you can write your own letter. Find your representative.

Image by jeffschwartz, used with a Creative Commons license.