DENVER - Friday may be National Food Day, but Coloradans are being invited to do more than just eat in celebration. Nutrition advocates are hoping Coloradans will join others across the U.S. in improving their diets and food policies.

One topic is whether school systems should have to follow 2012 federal nutrition improvement guidelines, after some districts, including Douglas County in Colorado, have said the new standards are impacting food sales and increasing waste.

Theresa Hafner, executive director of enterprise management with Denver Public Schools, says schools shouldn't get a "free pass."

"I don't want us to roll back the progress we've made," she says. "We're doing good things. It's interesting to read that kids are more and more obese. I don't think school lunch is making them that way, but I think we need to model the way forward."

The largest school system in the state, Denver Public Schools has 80,000 students with nearly 50,000 eating daily lunch. The school system helps supplement the need for fresh food with four farms on district property, and tries to buy food from Colorado vendors whenever possible.

Hafner says offering choices to students, like a salad bar, is also a great way to increase the appeal of school lunches.

Michael Booth, managing editor of the Colorado Health Foundation's Health Elevations, recently researched an article on the topic and found many Colorado school systems are finding ways to meet nutrition standards, and act as a "lever" in the effort to improve the health of the state.

"We shouldn't try to shame people into choosing or eating better food," says Booth. "There are bigger policy levers out there that policy makers can use to improve the food system for everyone."

While Hafner acknowledges it can be easier for larger districts to purchase food for the best price because of their buying power, she says the answer to problems small districts face with new nutrition guidelines shouldn't be found in giving up - but in looking at a team approach.

'I'm more than happy to use my trucks delivering us food from the Pueblo area," says Hafner. "If they're driving by a small school district, what if they could offload some of the produce I was able to buy under my purchasing power to a small school district in between me and them?"

Last year Colorado also increased the number of schools offering school breakfast to students. The Breakfast After the Bell program brought breakfast to an additional 40,000 new students.

The state expects to spend $170,000 in the first year of aligning with federal nutrition improvement guidelines, but the new meals bring in more than $14 million in USDA reimbursement.


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A new program in Indiana will ensure year-round access to nutritious meals for students statewide.

The Summer Electronic Transfer program provides a one-time $120 payment for school-aged children on an EBT card. The card can be used at grocery stores, farmers markets and other retailers.

Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry, said history shows programs such as SUN Bucks are effective.

"What we learned from the pandemic is that when we provide benefits like this, allowing families to pickup on behalf of their children made a tremendous difference in reducing food insecurity amongst kids during the pandemic," Weikert Bryant observed. "Particularly during the summer."

Local schools will discuss eligibility with parents and families. Additionally, free meals are available at SUN Meals sites throughout communities. Funding for the initiative is provided by the state and the U-S-D-A.

Weikert Bryant said SUN Bucks serves as a crucial lifeline, ensuring no child goes hungry during the summer months. The program reflects Indiana's commitment to fostering the well-being of Hoosier kids, ensuring they receive nutritious meals to thrive personally and academically. She described who qualifies.

"Children are eligible for the program if the household already participates in SNAP, TANF -- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families -- or income-based Medicaid," Weikert Bryant outlined. "Or if the student has been identified as a ward of the state; a foster child, homeless or migrant."

Those children will automatically receive benefits. Families who do not qualify for those programs but have children who receive free and reduced priced meals need to apply for the program. The application deadline is May 1.


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Alabama is one of 14 states opting out of the 2024 summer electronic benefit program.

As summer rolls around, there will be no programs in place to help low-income families with grocery costs.

LaTrell Clifford Wood, hunger policy advocate for the group Alabama Arise, said as a result, more than 500,000 children who usually receive free or reduced lunch could go without meals. She noted while summer feeding programs will be available, they will not reach everyone in need.

"Ninety-four percent of Alabama children who rely on free and reduced-price meals won't have access to them over the summer," Clifford Wood reported. "That means that only 6% of the children who rely on those meals during the school year are going to be fed through summer feeding programs."

Clifford Wood warned limited hours, transportation and strict program rules will hinder many families from benefiting from such vital programs. The Alabama Legislature did not allocate the necessary $15 million for the program by the end of the last session. However, Clifford Wood noted there is a chance the program will be funded in the summer of 2025.

As legislators focus on next year's budgets, Clifford Wood stressed the need for funding next summer's EBT program. She pointed out Alabama Arise is calling for lawmakers to allocate funds from the Education Trust Fund to combat child hunger, affecting one in four children in the state.

"This is a program that's been tested for 13 years," Clifford Wood emphasized. "It's had three rigorous evaluation periods, and it was shown to improve the diet of children and decrease children's food hardship by a third."

Clifford Wood believes prioritizing children's needs and addressing food insecurity is a form of preventive care and serves as an early investment in the state's overall wellness.

The Food Research and Action Center said funding the e-benefits program would also benefit the economy - adding anywhere from $98 million to $117 million. The Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee is expected to vote on the budget next week.

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.