That's right, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act is still on the table and Congress needs to hear from all of us that passing this Act is necessary! This act is what enables Congress to improve CACFP through investments and smart policy changes to increase access to the program and decrease the administrative burden. The Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act has many good provisions in it including an additional reimbursable meal, changes in eligibility, changes in the way reimbursement is determined for family child care homes, a decrease in paperwork, and making the serious deficiency process/procedures allow for human error and even more. Learn more here.
The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) has more context with links and actions for us all to take right now!
Click here or See below:
"ACTION NEEDED: Tell Congress to Pass a Robust and Progressive Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill
With the Midterm elections less than 4 weeks away, anti-hunger advocates are presented with a tight window of opportunity to advance our legislative priorities while Members of Congress are campaigning back home.
Negotiations in the Senate Agriculture Committee must proceed quickly to ensure a robust Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill advances as a top legislative priority for this Congress. Advocates need to communicate with their Senators (especially those on the Senate Agriculture Committee) and urge them to take up the “Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act.” Ask them to elevate our core child nutrition priorities with Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR).
Moving a strong and progressive child nutrition reauthorization is a critical step to ensuring that no child goes hungry, and all children can access healthy meals in and out of school. Advocates must continue to build support for child nutrition program investments by urging their Members of Congress to sponsor key pieces of legislation; find more information on these bills and other legislation anti-hunger advocates are supporting on FRAC's website.
Take Action Now:
Email your Members through the FRAC Action Network. Share this link with your state and local partners to create a groundswell of support for child nutrition program priorities.
Invite your Member of Congress on a Site Visit. Seeing children, families, and individuals engaged in activities, eating healthy meals, and having access to nutritious food can move an elected official to become a champion for strengthening the programs. Use our “Site Visit Guide” to navigate a site visit with your Members of Congress.
Tag & Tell Congress to Pass Child Nutrition Reauthorization and Strengthen Child Nutrition Programs. Use these sample messages and tag your Members of Congress and @fractweets
There will be opportunities to learn more about this and advocacy in general at our Annual CACFP Conference next week! There is still time to register, learn more here.
