December 12, 2003

National "Call-In"

Ask President Bush for
New Funding for Child Nutrition Programs

Now that Congress has extended the reauthorization period for child nutrition programs, we have another shot at getting significant additional funding in the President's budget. This year's effort to expand and improve child nutrition programs was frustrated because there wasn't any "new" additional federal funding to pay for program improvements and expansions. Now there is an opportunity to remedy this problem, but time is running out.

Right now the President and others in the Administration are hammering out their FY2005 budget. Advocates are urged to immediately pressure the White House to include in the President's budget at least $550 million per year in new federal funding for the child nutrition programs.

We need five minutes of your time to weigh in with the Administration on the importance of new funding for these vital nutrition programs. Here's how you can help...

Contact the White House:

1. Email Now! It is critical that advocates and others interested in improving and expanding the child nutrition programs immediately fax, call or email the President and urge him to include $550 million per year in "new" funding in the budget for improvements in the Child Nutrition Programs.
   
   
   • To quickly send a prepared email letter to the President
     (or write your own), click here.
     
     

2. Call the White House! We urge you, your colleagues and clients, recipients and parents, to call the President to support the new funding and to relay their personal stories. Consider having cell phones available at your site for short (1-2 minute) phone calls which would allow your clients to directly explain to the White House how these programs help them and their families, and to specifically ask for new money in the President's budget. The White House number is 202-456-1111.
   
   
   • For a one-page flyer with talking points to distribute to your networks, colleagues and clients, click here.
     • For a web version, click here.
     • For a CACFP-specific flyer, click here.

Factsheets on Child Nutrition Programs School Breakfast  |  School Lunch  |  Afterschool  |  Summer Food Women, Infants, and Children  |  Child and Adult Care Food Program

Prepared by the Food Research & Action Center, 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009; 202-986-2200; www.frac.org