FRAC - Report: "Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation"

EMBARGOED UNTIL: 10:30 AM	CONTACT: Ellen Vollinger
THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005	PHONE: 202-986-2200 x3016

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CHILDHOOD HUNGER DOESN'T TAKE A SUMMER VACATION

STATES COULD GET SUMMER LUNCHES TO 3.2 MILLION MORE LOW-INCOME CHILDREN AND TAP $163.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL RESOURCES, HELPING TO COMBAT HUNGER AND OBESITY

"LUGAR PILOT" RULES MAKE DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE FOR CHILDREN IN STATES WHERE THEY ARE AVAILABLE

Click here for the report: "Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation"

Sen. Lugar issues statement on FRAC report that Lugar Pilot Program is succeeding. "These numbers are exciting. The fact that more children are receiving better nutrition year-round is wonderful," Lugar said. "I strongly urge my Senate colleagues to move quickly and expand the Lugar Pilots nationwide."

About 2.9 million children from low-income families received lunches at parks, schools, religious congregations, and other community sites through either the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) on an average day in July 2004. Unfortunately, that meant only 19 children were fed in the federal summer nutrition programs for every 100 who receive a free or reduced-price school lunch during the regular school year, according to the new report "Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation" from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). Participation nationally in summer nutrition has declined in five consecutive years.

The report ranks states and points out how many children are not being fed in underperforming states. It describes how much federal money each of these states is forgoing by underperforming in feeding children during the summer. "Hunger Doesn't Take A Vacation" also reports on a recent Congressional initiative in 13 states which, if applied nationwide, could have fed an additional 1 million children last summer.

Releasing the report as summer programs are just getting under way across the country, FRAC pointed to proven strategies which government and community leaders can adopt to get summer lunches to more needy children in this and future summers.

"There are still steps that community programs, city and state agencies, schools, advocates and others can take to boost participation in summer meals this year-and lay the groundwork for future summers as well," said FRAC President Jim Weill. He urged outreach efforts to inform families about program availability and site locations; kick-off events and site visits by public officials to get the word out; and work to get sites to extend the length of their programs so children can continue to receive meals for more weeks this summer.

Weill also pointed to the opportunities to grow summer nutrition programs through the so-called Simplified Summer Food Program ("Lugar pilot" program). This pilot program, originally introduced by Senator Lugar, has operated in 13 states since 2001, and has been expanded to six more states in 2005. It simplifies cost accounting and paperwork and thereby often allows for modestly higher reimbursement rates. Nutrition participation (SFSP and NSLP combined) in the 13 states with the "Lugar pilot" program increased 1.8 percent from 2003 to 2004, while participation in the rest of the country decreased 2.0 percent. From 2000 to 2004 there was 25.2 percent growth in pilot states and an 8.6 percent decline in the rest of the country. Had all states been able to operate the pilot and achieved gains equal to the 13 pilot states from 2000 to 2004, nearly 1 million more children would have been served each day in summer 2004.

FRAC's report ranks states by assessing their performance in reaching needy youngsters with either SFSP or NSLP summer meals, compared to regular school year meals. If all states had performed just at the level achieved by those states with the best records in recent years (40 students served in the summer for every 100 served during the regular school year), FRAC estimates the federal programs would feed another 3.2 million children in low-income communities in the summer and provide a total of $163.7 million in additional federal funds in communities across the nation.

The report contains state-by-state analysis of the size of the shortfalls. The states missing out on the most federal funds for summer child nutrition are Texas ($29.7 million), Florida ($10.1 million), Georgia ($7.1 million), North Carolina ($6.8 million), Ohio ($6.8 million), and New York ($5.9 million).

FRAC Senior Policy Analyst Randy Rosso, principal author of the report, identified factors contributing to recent program participation declines in many states. "Cuts to summer school and summer activities caused by state budget crises are having the domino effect of denying summer nutrition to needy children," said Rosso. He also pointed to the cumulative negative impact on summer food sponsors of cuts in meal reimbursement rates that Congress passed in 1996.

During the school year, school lunches and breakfasts can provide more than one-half of the nutrients low-income children consume every weekday, according to FRAC Director of Child Nutrition Policy Lynn Parker. When children lose access to these meals, they and their families are hard-pressed to fill the gap.

In addition, Parker explained, "Summer nutrition meals also help combat obesity by providing healthy food and bolstering programs that promote physical activity." She cited a recent nationwide USDA study reporting that 93 percent of SFSP programs offered activities in addition to healthy meals. These usually include physical as well as other activities.

"Increasing participation in the Summer Nutrition programs is in the best interest of everyone-the federal, state and local governments, sponsors and sites, summer programs, and, most important, families and children," said Jim Weill. "Summer Nutrition provides healthy meals to children who often otherwise go hungry in the summertime. It also supports children's engagement in positive activities and strengthens out-of-school time programs, improving children's chances to reach their educational potential during the upcoming school year."

The SFSP is operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through state agencies. It provides funds for eligible sponsoring organizations (schools, public agencies and non-profits) to serve nutritious meals in summer to children 18 or younger at approved sites that are in low-income areas, or that serve a group of children most of whom are low-income. The NSLP, also operated by USDA through the states, provides per meal cash reimbursements to serve nutritious meals and snacks to low-income children in school-sponsored nutrition programs during the summer.

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The Food Research and Action Center (www.frac.org) is the leading national organization working for more effective public and private policies to eradicate domestic hunger and undernutrition.