BEYOND THE STEREOTYPES: HISPANIC/LATINO FAMILIES

Members of ADA were invited to participate in a conference call on Feb 10 with Secretary Tom Vilsack of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Secretary Vilsack presented what the Administration’s priorities are for the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. Here are some highlights of areas for which he encouraged our support:·      That all foods provided in the schools be expected to uphold the same nutritional standards as those served in the school food service.·      Increase availability and ease in the application process for school lunch.·      Continue to look to improve the quality of the food served in schools to reflect the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.·      Provide for additional funds for wellness programs and education programs both for students but also for food service employee training.·      Considerations of potential programs for those children who are eligible for free school meals to receive a source of nutrition during non-school times such as weekends and summer. There was also some discussion regarding all the available programming out in the communities and considering developing a “clearinghouse” of ideas on how to improve the health of our children. The Administration’s priorities closely align with ADA’s recommendations for Child Nutrition Reauthorization. http://www.eatright.org/Members/content.aspx?id=11329. Over the past year, ADA has proactively met with USDA officials and Congressional staff to highlight our recommendations and the expertise of ADA members in these programs. We all hear the buzz around child nutrition in the media. Please do not assume that your legislator will make the legislative choices that make the most sense in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization.   He/ She will tell you that they try to make sound decisions---but they need to hear from us—we are the Pediatric Nutrition Experts.   Please contact your legislator today and let them know that a strong and robustly funded Child Nutrition Reauthorization is vital to the future of our children. To send a letter to your Representative and Senators, use ADA's Grassroots Manager. (Visit www.eatright.org/members, go to the "Public Policy" section and click on "Take Action”). If we don’t communicate with them and provide expertise, who will?