Child Nutrition Reauthorization

CHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION

What is the Child in 1946, created the National School homeless shelters and afterschool Nutrition and WIC Lunch Program “as a measure of programs can serve children 18 national security, to safeguard the and under. Reauthorization Act? health and well-being of the Nation’s n The Summer Food Service he Child Nutrition and WIC children.” Twenty years later, President Program helps ensure that Reauthorization Act authorizes Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Child children (18 and under) who all of the federal school meal T Nutrition Act of 1966 into law, which depend on school lunch and and child nutrition programs. The established and authorized the School breakfast during the school year child nutrition programs touch millions Breakfast Program. Not long after, still have access to free, nutritious of children each day and improve programs — such as the Child and meals and snacks during the educational achievement, economic Adult Care Food Program, the Summer summer when school is out. The security, nutrition, and health. Food Service Program, and other child program provides reimbursements Although most of the programs are nutrition programs — were added to to schools, local government permanently authorized, every five the National School Lunch Act. agencies, and private nonprofit years or so, Congress reviews the laws organizations that serve free meals governing these programs through Which Child Nutrition and snacks to children at sites the reauthorization process. The Programs are up for located in low-income areas or that current law, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Review? serve primarily low-income children. Kids Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-296), n The School Breakfast Program and n The Afterschool Meal Program expired on September 30, 2015. National School Lunch Program (available through the Child and Congress includes the funding levels both guarantee that millions of Adult Care Food Program) bridges to maintain the programs through the low-income children receive a the hunger gap for children who annual appropriations process, which healthy breakfast and lunch during participate in afterschool programs. allows the child nutrition programs their school day. All children can The program provides federal funds that are not permanently authorized, participate in the programs, but to private nonprofit and public such as the Summer Food Service low-income children are certified organizations (including schools) Program, to continue operations when to receive free or reduced-price so they can serve nutritious meals a reauthorization is delayed. school meals. The School Breakfast (and snacks) at afterschool programs Reauthorization provides an Program is underutilized, reaching located in low-income areas. opportunity to improve and strengthen just over half of the low-income n The Special Supplemental the child nutrition programs so that they children who participate in school Nutrition Program for Women, better meet the needs of the nation’s lunch. Infants, and Children (WIC) children in pre-school, school-based, n The Child and Adult Care Food provides nutritious foods, nutrition and out-of-school time settings. Program reimburses child care education, and access to health care The reauthorization amends two centers, Head Start Programs, family to low-income pregnant women, existing statutes: the Richard B. Russell child care homes, homeless shelters, new mothers, infants, and children National School Lunch Act and the and afterschool programs for snacks up to age 5. The monthly WIC food Child Nutrition Act of 1966. The Richard and meals served to children. package is a combination of foods B. Russell National School Lunch Act, Generally, children under the age that improve nutrition for pregnant signed by President Harry S. Truman of 12, as well as certain adults living women, new mothers, infants, and with disabilities, can participate, but young children.

Child Nutrition Reauthorization: A Primer n Food Research & Action Center n February 2021 © n www.frac.org 1 n The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Who Benefits From Child n In fiscal year (FY) 2020, 6.3 million Program issues coupons to WIC Nutrition Reauthorization? women, infants, and children recipients that can be used to participated in WIC. purchase fresh, locally grown fruits Millions of children, especially low- n In FY 2019, 1.6 million WIC and vegetables at participating local income children, benefit from the participants received benefits farmers’ markets. healthy food provided by the child nutrition programs. Schools, from the WIC Farmers Market n The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable afterschool and summer programs, Nutrition Program. Program provides fresh fruit and and child care providers also benefit n In FY 2020, 4 million children were vegetable snacks to children during from the valuable funding that helps served 1.5 billion healthy meals and the school day. Only elementary cover the costs of providing nutritious snacks through the Child and Adult schools in which at least 50 percent food to hungry children. Care Food Program. of the students are eligible for free n Food insecurity and the need for or reduced-price school meals can What Happened in the apply to participate in the program. the child nutrition programs have only grown during the pandemic. Last Child Nutrition n The Special Milk Program According to Northwestern Reauthorization? supports serving milk to children University’s Institute for Policy The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in schools and child care institutions Research, in January 2021, an of 2010 was signed into law on that do not participate in other estimated 27.8 percent of adults December 2, 2010. The legislation nutrition programs. living with children experienced expanded the availability of nutritious food insecurity. Who in Congress is meals to more children in school, in n In 2019, 10.5 million children, or Responsible for Child out-of-school time programs, and in 14.4 percent of all children under child care. It also contained a number Nutrition Reauthorization? age 18, lived in poverty. of provisions to improve the nutritional In the House of Representatives, the n On an average day during the quality of meals served in schools Education and Labor’s Subcommittee 2019–2020 school year (from and preschool settings, it simplified on Civil Rights and Human Services September through February), the application process for children has jurisdiction over Child Nutrition 12.6 million low-income children and their parents, and it also made Reauthorization. In the Senate, the received a free or reduced-price “competitive foods” offered or sold in Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s school breakfast and 21.6 million schools more nutritious. Subcommittee on Nutrition, Agriculture low-income children received a free Visit FRAC’s Child Nutrition Research, and Specialty Crops has or reduced-price school lunch. Reauthorization page for the latest jurisdiction over the reauthorization. n In July 2019, 2.8 million low-income on the current Child Nutrition children received a summer meal. Reauthorization.