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Hope for child nutrition in Alaska
According to a 2006 survey, 15 percent of Alaska’s children live in food-insecure households, meaning that they don’t have access to enough food for a healthy, active life.
This problem is more severe in rural Alaska, where nearly one child in four experiences food insecurity.
Approximately one-third of Alaska’s school children are eligible to receive free or reduced price breakfast and lunch at school yet, nationally, Alaska ranks poorly in participation in child nutrition programs.
Alaska ranks 48th for participation in school breakfast, and 49th in summer nutrition participation according to a 2008 study from Food Research and Action Center (FRAC).
In rural Alaska, 15 percent of children who qualify for free or reduced school meals do not have access because the schools are not participating.
Last summer, only 9 out of 100 children who qualified for a free or reduced price school meal had access to a summer food site.
Currently in the U.S. Congress, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act (CNR) aims help to expand the programs that will provide nutritious meals to more children in Alaska.
The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act (CNR) is legislation authorizing federal child nutrition programs that ensure that low-income children have access to healthy and nutritious foods.
The federal programs CNR impacts include School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Programs, Summer Food Service Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
In the coming months, Congress will hold committee hearings on CNR.
Related legislation has been introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives that address CNR priorities.
Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Mark Begich have co-sponsored U.S. Senate Bill 1737, a bill to increase the number of children eligible for school meals.
What YOU can do to help!
Anyone can be an advocate!
For more information on how Child Nutrition Reauthorization impacts Alaskans and how you can help make a difference, contact Robin Stilwell, Director of Advocacy, at 907-222-3113 or rstilwell@foodbankofalaska.org.
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