Action for Healthy Kids to Implement Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative
CHICAGO — Action for Healthy Kids has signed a cooperative settlement with the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to develop and implement the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative. To additional improve USDA’s ongoing assist for the varsity meal packages, the initiative consists of an allocation of $47 million for figuring out and recognizing college districts that excel in offering wholesome meals and for supporting small and rural colleges in adopting finest practices and revolutionary approaches.
“Action for Healthy Kids is excited to partner with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and school districts to lift up and support innovative school nutrition practices that ensure that our nation’s students have access to nutritious meals,” stated Rob Bisceglie, CEO of Action for Healthy Kids. “Through this historic investment in school nutrition, we aim to help school districts across the country overcome challenges and develop creative solutions to provide nutritious foods for the children they serve.”
Action for Healthy Kids will lead the general implementation and administration of the cooperative settlement. In partnership, RMC Health will design, lead and handle the general coaching and technical help technique. In addition, Action for Healthy Kids will companion with Chef Ann Foundation to present in-depth individualized technical help to assist and information the varsity meals authorities (SFAs) in implementing key methods to enhance college meal high quality, meet the Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award, and mitigate any potential roadblocks to success.
“Every child deserves access to nutritious meals. RMC Health is thrilled to join our partners in this important work to remove barriers and provide resources to rural and small school districts in support of healthy young people,” stated Shellie Pfohl, RMC Health President and AFHK Chief Growth Officer.
“The Chef Ann Foundation is very excited to be a partner in this initiative, in particular to be able to support small and rural districts in our country that have struggled through the pandemic and are eager for support to improve their food program,” stated Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation.
Action for Healthy Kids can even assist facilitate sharing of finest practices throughout the nation and supply grants to assist small and/or rural college districts innovate and advance their efforts. Approximately $30 million of the $47 million will likely be allotted as college district grants of up to $150,000 every.
“USDA is excited about the collaboration with Action for Healthy Kids to support and share innovative practices that will empower schools to continue serving delicious, healthy meals, and give students a healthy start. We look forward to this partnership and lifting up the great work being done by nutrition professionals throughout the country,” stated FNS Administrator Cindy Long, USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
These initiatives are a part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The National Strategy supplies a roadmap of actions the federal authorities will take to finish starvation and scale back diet-related ailments by 2030 – all whereas lowering disparities. The National Strategy was launched along side the primary White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in over 50 years, hosted by President Biden on September 28, 2022.
ABOUT ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS
Action for Healthy Kids is devoted to bettering youngsters’s well being and well-being by bringing collectively and mobilizing educators, households, and different key stakeholders to assist youngsters lead wholesome lives. Through its core programming and family-school partnerships, Action for Healthy Kids has impacted greater than 20 million youngsters in 55,000 colleges nationwide to handle systemic challenges in underserved communities. To be taught extra about its rising community of volunteers and champions, go to: actionforhealthykids.org.
ABOUT USDA’S FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service works to finish starvation and enhance meals and diet safety by way of a set of greater than 15 diet help packages, resembling the varsity breakfast and lunch packages, WIC and SNAP. Together, these packages serve 1 in 4 Americans over the course of a yr, selling constant and equitable entry to wholesome, protected, and inexpensive meals important to optimum well being and well-being. FNS additionally supplies science-based diet suggestions by way of the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. FNS’s report, “Leveraging the White House Conference to Promote and Elevate Nutrition Security: The Role of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service,” highlights methods the company will assist the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy, launched along side the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022. To be taught extra about FNS, go to www.fns.usda.gov and observe @USDANutrition.
