Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 125

CHAPTER 3 How can we eliminate red tape in the child nutrition programs? Can we reduce the number of child nutrition programs to one or two (in-school and out-of-school) operated by a single agency in each state? How do we ensure that children only have to qualify once and sponsors only have one set of administrative, meal, and reporting requirements? Should the requirement for children to eat meals together on site (the congregate feeding requirement) be waived? The ideal location to serve summer meals to low-income children may be in a safe, supervised enrichment program, but the current infrastructure and barriers limit our ability to reach kids this way. States should have the option to implement alternative program models such as the summer EBT demonstration, home-delivered meals, and backpack programs. A USDA pilot testing meal delivery showed that adding noncongregate options in rural areas added to the number of children receiving meals without reducing participation at nearby congregate programs. How do we build on state efforts to expand school breakfast? States including Maryland, New Mexico, and Colorado have enacted policies to institutionalize innovative breakfast models. These policies require schools with a large percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals to serve breakfast “after the bell.” National policy could build on these efforts by requiring breakfast after the bell in low-income or possibly all schools and/or by providing financial incentives for universal feeding. Each child deserves the opportunity to live in dignity and thrive. Let’s work together to make sensible policy changes that invest in our children and our nation’s future. We can make No Kid Hungry a reality in America. To learn more, visit NoKidHungry.org. School lunch staff and students enjoy the new school lunch menu created to meet the new standards at the Yorkshire Elementary School in Manassas, VA. Duke Storen is the senior director for partner impact & advocacy with Share Our Strength, whose No Kid Hungry campaign is working with churches, private citizens, public officials, nonprofits, business leaders and others to end childhood hunger by connecting kids to the national nutrition programs. www.bread.org/institute? ? 2014 Hunger Report? 115 n USDA