Guest blog post by Imani D. Hope with The National League of Cities, Institute for Youth Education and Families
Nearly one quarter of all American families with children suffered from food hardship — lacking enough money to buy adequate food — at some point over the past year. Food insecurity has long-term impacts on children’s educational achievement and development and is linked with childhood obesity as families who are struggling to make ends meet can only afford to buy cheaper foods with limited nutritional value.
In a bold response to the increasingly pervasive issue of childhood hunger, President Barack Obama signed into law the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 on December 13, 2010. The bill is part of the reathorization of funding for child nutrition set forth by the Child Nutrition act in . The bill funds child nutrition programs and free lunch programs in schools for the next 5 years. In addition, the bill sets new nutrition standards for schools, and allocates $4.5 billion dollars for their implementation. One of the most impressive programs to develop from the reauthorization is the At-Risk Afterschool Meals program. The federal Afterschool Meal Program reimburses city agencies, schools and nonprofit organizations that provide nutritious meals at their afterschool and weekend programs in areas in which at least 50 percent of the children are qualified for free and reduced-price school meals. Meal costs up to the approved levels are reimbursed for all children who meet the program’s eligibility requirements, and, unlike most federal programs, funding amounts are not capped by annual appropriations.
Providing meals not only combats hunger and poor nutrition, it also draws students to high-quality out-of-school time educational programs. However, despite the multiple benefits, many afterschool providers are unaware that they can receive federal reimbursement or lack the financial or administrative capacity to complete the application process. In an effort to reach out to cities and local municipalities so spread the word about the federal afterschool meals program, the National League of Cities Youth, Education, and Families Institute(YEF Institute) embarked upon a year-long initiative, known as Cities Combating Childhood Hunger through Afterschool Meals Programs (CHAMP). CHAMP is an effort to help local leaders reduce child hunger in their communities by expanding participation in the federal Afterschool Meals Program. The $1 million initiative, funded by the Walmart Foundation, is being coordinated by the YEF Institute in partnership with the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), a national nonprofit organization working to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States. The new project will draw upon the YEF Institute’s deep experience supporting city efforts that connect their residents with federal benefits and improve local afterschool programs, as well as FRAC’s expertise in advancing best practices and policies for reducing hunger in communities across the country.
To kick off the initiative, two regional leadership academies were held during the month of May, each attended by city teams from 10 cities across the country. The leadership academies provided municipal leaders and other key stakeholders from the cities with structured peer learning and training opportunities facilitated by national experts and city leaders who have launched innovative local approaches. Participating city teams were able to return home to their respective communities with renewed energy and a concrete plan of action that will benefit children and families.
As part of the one-year project, up to nine cities from the Leadership Academy cohort will also be eligible to receive re-granted funding (up to $60,000 per selected city) to boost program participation in their communities. A portion of these funds will be reserved for cities that participate in one of the leadership academies. NLC and FRAC will provide these cities with customized technical assistance in devising their strategic approaches, including access to best practices, national experts and opportunities for peer learning and exchange. Additionally, funds will be re-granted to up to six state and local anti-hunger groups that are working to build up the afterschool meals program.
The aim of the CHAMP initiative is simple; to help city leaders find creative ways to utilize the provisions set forth by the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, and more specifically, the At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program. The issue of childhood hunger is one that must be addressed collectively, and from all levels of government from federal, to state, to local. For more information regarding the At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program in your state, click here.
