Tell the D.C. Council to Increase Funding for School Meals

Now is the time to let our D.C. Councilmembers know that we support increased funding for D.C. Public Schools to provide healthier lunches and breakfasts to children.

For just over $2 million dollars – or 25 cents per student per day – the D.C. Council can:

o invest in school nutrition and children’s health and academic performance

o assist families and schools deal with soaring food costs

Targeting funds in the Council’s Committee of the Whole Budget to improve school meals is essential at a time when schools and families are hard-pressed for resources.

Please take a minute to email the D.C. Council in support of healthier school meals. Thank you in advance for your support!

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

Please act now to make a difference for District families and schools by supporting the "Healthy School Meals Initiative" budget request. For just over $2 million dollars, you can invest in school nutrition and our children's health and academic performance while at the same time supporting families as they struggle with rising food costs. This request will fund a 25 cent per student per day investment in school meals, which will allow schools to improve the nutritional value of the food by providing more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. It will also fund selected schools to promote school meals and make breakfast part of the official school day -- thereby increasing student participation and enabling the city to leverage millions of dollars in available federal funding for school meals.

Families need help dealing with rising food costs and so do our schools. Basic food items experienced a double-digit increase in price in 2007 -- milk by 17 percent, cheese by 15 percent, and bread by 12 percent. A recent poll by CNN found that many Americans are starting to cut back on spending, with 30 percent of respondents saying they already are cutting back on food and medicine. The food cost crunch is also hurting schools. Across the nation, higher costs have forced many school food staff to make tough choices about what to serve their students. One school food director estimates that she is paying roughly double what she paid for food a year ago - for example, a case of canned fruit that used to cost $21 now costs $36.

Support more children eating healthier food by including additional funding for school meals in the FY 2009 budget. Through this modest increase in funding, we can add nutritional variety to school meals, which can begin to offset future healthcare costs associated with poor diet. By giving our kids (and our city's future tax payers) this head start on health, we truly will be investing in our future.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

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D.C. Council
cc: Council Member Vincent Gray (if you live in At-Large Ward Members)

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