Action Alert: New Summer Hunger Bill Introduced in Senate

Many of our nation's programs that tackle child hunger, including National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Summer Food Service Program, are all up for reauthorization by Congress in September. This process is called Child Nutrition Reauthorization and the action around it is starting to pick up in Washington.

Please see below for information on a bill that was just introduced in the Senate, aimed at closing the meal gap for kids during the summer months.

The Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015

We're very pleased to share that on Wednesday August 6, Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) introduced the Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015 which includes policy changes (summer EBT and non-congregate feeding programs) that would help end summer hunger.

Feeding America, along with many other national organizations, strongly endorses the Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015. Feeding America worked very closely with Share our Strength to shape this bill and looks forward to showing broad support across our network and beyond. This support will be critical to ensure these important priorities are included in the final child nutrition reauthorization package currently being developed by Senate and House committee staff.

See below for details of the bill and actions you can take to show your support.
 

SUMMARY

The legislation gives communities most underserved currently by the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) additional proven, effective program models to better reach eligible children. This includes the option to implement summer electronic benefit transfer (EBT) or non-congregate feeding programs in specific targeted areas. Only about 18 percent of low-income children that receive lunch during the school year access a free meal in the summer. By strengthening SFSP and providing states with added flexibility, such as the EBT or congregate waiver models, communities will be better suited to reach hungry children during the summer months. 

This legislation is modeled on the successful demonstration projects USDA administered to test both program options. The extensive evaluations showed strong results, including significantly improved access to summer meals, decreased hunger, and improved consumption of healthy foods.

ACTIONS
Our goal is to get as many co-sponsors in the Senate as possible to show support for these important priorities. Here are actions you can take to help us achieve this goal:

1. Show your support for the bill by signing your organization on to this letter — http://goo.gl/forms/mhjNXHeSeh — and sharing it with your local partners, especially providers involved in summer feeding programs. Broad support for this bill will help increase likelihood of members agreeing to sign on in support.

• Ask your Senators to co-sponsor the Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act (please note, there is no bill number available yet). You can call, email or reach out through social media - or do it all!
• To call your Senators, just dial (888) 398-8702 and deliver this message: As a constituent and employee of [INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME], I urge you to co-sponsor Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015. This bill will help our food bank reach more kids during the summer by giving us more options to get nutritious food to the kids that need it.
• To email, see below for an email template as well as contact information for Senate staff handling agriculture issues.

• What about the House? There will hopefully be a companion bill introduced in the House soon after they return from recess on September 8. In any communication with your Representatives or their staff, make sure to tell them about this important legislation and encourage them to support it when it is released in the House in September.

SAMPLE EMAIL TO SENATE STAFF

Subject: Co-Sponsor the Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015

I am writing to request that you co-sponsor the Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015. 

This bi-partisan legislation, sponsored by Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN), gives hard-to-reach communities additional proven, effective program models to better serve eligible children during the summer months. For the majority of children, summer is the hungriest time of the year. Last year, 4 out of 5 children who rely on school meal assistance didn’t have access to the current summer meals program. 

This legislation includes the option to implement summer electronic benefit transfer (EBT) or non-congregate feeding programs to the Summer Food Service Program so that communities can better reach children who are currently underserved by the program. These policies complement the current site-based model of the summer meals program and efforts to strengthen it, and would improve summer nutrition for low-income children no matter where they live. This legislation is modeled on the successful demonstration projects administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that resulted in significantly improved access to summer meals, decreased child hunger, and improved consumption of healthy food.

The one-size-fits-all approach to ending summer hunger does not work for all communities. No child should be excluded from receiving the nutrition they need in the summer as a result of their zip code. The tested and proven program options included in this bill, targeted to the most underserved communities, will help end child summer hunger in your state.

By co-sponsoring the Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2015, you can help end hunger by ensuring these important policies are included in the final child nutrition bill. 

We appreciate your support.

Sincerely,

SENATE CONTACTS

Senator Collins’ Office
Contact Jill Carney - Jill_Carney@collins.senate.gov

Senator King’s Office
Contact Marge Kilkelly - Marge_Kilkelly@king.senate.gov