WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a teleconference call with
the news media Friday morning, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
highlighted the administration's priorities for the upcoming Child Nutrition
Reauthorization, including opportunities to make progress on childhood hunger.
"President Obama has committed to ending child hunger by 2015. Secretary
Vilsack has been charged with making that goal a reality, and the strategies
he discussed today will put us on the right track," said Rev. David Beckmann,
president of Bread for the World. "Bread for the World shares many of the same
priorities discussed today for improving access to child nutrition programs.
We will work with Secretary Vilsack to strengthen these programs so that no
child in America goes to bed hungry."
Among the administration's priorities, Sec. Vilsack specifically addressed the
need to improve children's access to meals over the school summer break. He
highlighted a provision included in the agriculture appropriations bill signed
by the president on Wednesday that would study new methods of providing
children with food in the summer.
"Child nutrition programs provide an immediate and direct way to reduce child
hunger and improve health and educational outcomes. Yet these programs could
do far more to reduce hunger simply by reaching more eligible kids," Rev.
Beckmann said. "We applaud the administration's focus on improving program
access and participation for eligible children so that more hungry children
get the food they need."
Of the more than 18 million children receiving free or reduced-price lunches
each school day, only 12 percent participate in summer food programs.
"Improving access to food assistance in the summer is a top priority if we are
to end child hunger," said Rev. Beckmann.
He added that another priority highlighted by Sec. Vilsack is strengthening
direct certification provisions that automatically enroll eligible children in
school meal programs. "The administration and Secretary Vilsack are taking the
right approach by exploring such new and innovative strategies."
Earlier this week, Sec. Vilsack appeared at the White House with First Lady
Michelle Obama at a "Healthy Kids Fair" focused on healthy eating and good
nutrition for children, and Rev. Beckmann attended.
Bread for the World lists its priorities for child nutrition reauthorization
on its website, at
http://www.bread.org/learn/child-nutrition/legislative-priorities.html
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's
decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.
SOURCE Bread for the World
Bill Malone, +1-202-250-1917, or bmalone@bread.org, or Shawnda Hines
+1-202-509-3674, or shines@bread.org, both of Bread for the World
