DENVER - Este viernes es el Día Nacional de la Alimentación, y se invita a los coloradeños a hacer más que sólo comer, al celebrar esta fecha. Los defensores de la nutrición esperan que se les unan más adeptos de todo el país, para mejorar sus dietas y políticas alimentarias.

Un tema sensible es si los sistemas escolares deben seguir las guías federales de mejoramiento alimentario, de 2012, tomando en cuenta que distritos como Douglas County, en Colorado, han dicho que los nuevos estándares impactan la venta de comida y aumentan el desperdicio.

Theresa Hafner, directora ejecutiva de administración de empresas en Denver Public Schools, dice que a las escuelas no se les debe dar "paso libre."

"No quiero que retrocedamos en el progreso que ya logramos," de acuerdo a Hafner. "Creo que estamos haciendo cosas buenas. Es interesante leer que los niños están engordando más y más. No creo que el refrigerio escolar sea la causa, más bien creo que necesitamos modelar el cómo."

El sistema de escuelas públicas de Denver (DPSS, por sus siglas en inglés) es el mayor del estado, con 80 mil estudiantes; casi 50 mil de ellos reciben refrigerio diario. El sistema escolar ayuda para complementar la necesidad de alimentos frescos de nuestras granjas en propiedad distrital, y trata de comprar productos del estado cuando es posible.

Por su parte, Hafner afirma que ofrecer opciones a los estudiantes, como una barra de ensaladas, también es una manera excelente de aumentar el atractivo de los refrigerios escolares.

Michael Booth, editor administrativo de la revista Health Elevations, de la Colorado Health Foundation (Fundación de la Salud de Colorado), publicó recientemente una investigación sobre el tema. Su estudio encontró que muchos sistemas escolares del estado están utilizando formas para alcanzar los estándares alimentarios, y actuando como "palancas" en el esfuerzo por mejorar la salud del estado.
 
"No deberíamos andar tratando de avergonzar a la gente para forzarla a comer mejores alimentos," de acuerdo a Booth. "Hay recursos políticos que podrían usar quienes hacen las políticas y mejorar el sistema alimentario para todos."

Hafner reconoce que es más fácil que los distritos más grandes, como el suyo, consigan comida a mejores precios, por su poder de compra. Opina que la respuesta a los problemas que enfrentan distritos menores con las nuevas guías de nutrición, no debiera ser la renuncia, sino buscar un acercamiento de equipo.

"Estoy más que feliz de usar, digamos, mis camiones, repartiéndonos comida, digamos, desde el área Pueblo y digamos que si andan por un pequeño distrito escolar, qué tal si pudieran dejar algo de abarrotes que yo pude adquirir con mi poder de compra para un pequeño distrito escolar entre nosotros y ellos," de acuerdo a Hafner.

El año pasado Colorado también aumentó el número de escuelas que ofrecen desayuno a los estudiantes. Se trata del programa Breakfast After the Bell, Desayuno Después de la Campana, que trajo alimento a otros 40 mil nuevos estudiantes. El estado espera gastar 170 mil dólares durante el primer año, pero los nuevos refrigerios representan más de 14 millones en recuperación de la USDA.


get more stories like this via email

California's program helping low-income families buy fresh fruit and vegetables is on the chopping block and health care advocates are asking legislators to save the Market Match program.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed cutting most of the program's $35 million budget to help close the state's budget shortfall.

Sophia Vaccaro, a participant in Market Match from Echo Park, said she depends on Market Match in more ways than one.

"It helps people being able to stretch their budget further," Vaccaro explained. "Then, I think it helps the community, in that it creates a sense of camaraderie at the farmers' market and makes people more invested in the community itself."

The program matches every dollar CalFresh customers spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at a farmer's market up to between $10 and $20 per day. It is active at 294 sites across the state and is partially paid for through federal matching funds.

Dr. John Maa, surgeon at Marin Health Medical Center and board member of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the American Heart Association, said Market Match promotes healthy eating and boosts the local farm economy.

"An improved diet really will have long-term meaningful impacts on health, and also reduce health care costs," Maa explained. "It really helps to sustain the growers and the merchants. I guess it's a win-win-win."

Siu Han Cheung, outreach coordinator for the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and board member of the Heart of the City Farmers' Market, argued the program is vital to residents across the state.

"If the Market Match will be cut, that is terrible," Cheung stressed. "That means they have less money to buy their food. So, Market Match is very important for the low-income families and the seniors."

Legislators and the governor are working toward the May budget revisions, and must pass a balanced budget by June 15.

South Dakotans face high prices at the grocery store and some are working to ease the burden.

A new report from the Federal Trade Commission finds some grocery retailers used the supply-chain disruptions of the pandemic to raise prices and collect bigger profits, even after supply chains regulated.

One South Dakota group is trying to reduce sticker shock by targeting the state sales tax on groceries. Dakotans for Health is sponsoring a citizens ballot initiative to repeal the 4.2 % tax.

Rick Weiland, co-founder of the group, said lower food bills would make a meaningful difference for some.

"People of modest means, or low income hardworking families, disproportionately spend upwards of 30% on food," Weiland pointed out. "This is going to be helpful."

South Dakota is one of only two states in the country to apply its full state sales tax rate to groceries with no exemptions, Mississippi being the other. More than 9% of South Dakotans are considered food insecure, meaning they do not always have access to enough healthy food.

The grocery tax has been a popular topic among state legislators in recent years. Republican Gov. Kristi Noem even campaigned on the promise to repeal it. Critics have said proposing a tax cut without a way to finance it is irresponsible.

Weiland pointed out Gov. Noem had a formula spelled out when she brought forward her bill in 2023, which was voted down.

"She had no problem defending her position in front of the Legislature, in terms of how much revenue the state was going to lose and where they could make it up," Weiland recounted.

The initiative needs about 17,500 signatures by next month to appear on the November ballot.

Colorado families must sign up before the end of April to receive $120 per child to buy food through the new Summer EBT program approved by Congress. Families with incomes that qualify for free and reduced-price school lunches - up to around $49,000 a year for a family of three - must enroll through their school.

Anya Rose, public policy director with Hunger Free Colorado, said as school cafeterias close their doors for summer, EBT cards can help kids get the nutrition they need to return to school in the fall ready to learn.

"A lot of families will be automatically enrolled, if they are enrolled in programs like TANF, SNAP, Medicaid. If you are unsure, then talk to your school about filling out the household income form to make sure you can qualify this year if you're income eligible," she said.

EBT grocery cards can be used to buy fruits and vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs, breads, meat, fish and other food at all grocery stores that accept SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps.

Rose noted grocery cards will be sent by mail, so it's important to make sure schools have your correct address.

Some 337,000 Colorado children are eligible for the program that is expected to generate up to $72 million in economic activity across the state. Grocery cards are available to all income-qualifying households regardless of their immigration status.

"There are no immigration eligibility requirements. And accessing Summer EBT and school meals do not impact immigration status in any way," she explained.

Filling out your school's household income application, sometimes called a school meal or benefit form, will also bring critical federal dollars into Colorado's Healthy School Meals for All initiative. It's currently running $24 million over budget. Rose adds there are other benefits for families who participate in Summer EBT.

"That same form can also qualify students to get discounts on school-related fees for things like SAT or ACT testing, or athletics or band or field trips or other activities," she said.