REAL FOOD IN SCHOOLS… The Child Nutrition Reauthorization and Slow Food NYC

During the next two months, Congress will consider a Child Nutrition Reauthorization that will establish the budget and priorities for school lunches for years to come. Now is time to let our representatives know that it is time for change—that it is time for real food in schools. This is an extraordinary opportunity to help schools serve better lunches to our kids and to forge new links between regional farms and schools.

As a member or friend of Slow Food New York City, you are part of a community of almost 8,000 people who share a set of beliefs and values about our food system. We support a food system wherein everyone can enjoy real food that is good for them, good for those who produce it, and good for the planet. We support this food system every day in our personal food choices. Now, we can help make sure that our nation’s school kids enjoy the taste and health benefits of the food in which we believe.

There is reason to be optimistic. More than ever before, there is a buzz in the media and in the government about the importance of child nutrition. Many people believe that real school food helps improve kids’ school performance and helps create healthy eating habits that will be carried into adulthood and passed on to the next generation. We believe that better school food can play an important part in helping to reduce obesity, diabetes, and other food-related diseases.

Yet, as we all know, funding is tight. President Obama already has committed $1 billion more to the cause of child nutrition. We need to let Congress know that our kids need more…$1 per day per child… for their school food. This is where you come in. Because of their respective Congressional Committee responsibilities, New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Rangel of Manhattan and Representative Clark of Brooklyn will be key in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization. And, we in New York City, can be key in influencing them in the process.

Slow Food already has generated more than 2,000 letters to Congress. With our numbers in New York City, we can double, triple, and quadruple that number!

To make change happen, prepare letters to Senator Schumer and to Senator Gillibrand. And, if you live in Manhattan, prepare a letter to Representative Rangel, or, if you live in Brooklyn, prepare a letter to Representative Clark.

Letters don’t have to be complicated. Use the ones below. Just cut and paste, personalize and print, and sign and send them, by February 19, 2010, to:

Slow Food USA
Attn: Time for Lunch Team
20 Jay Street – Suite M04
Brooklyn, New York11201

Your letters will be combined with those being prepared by friends of other New York City food active organizations for personal delivery to our representatives.

Slow Food NYC is a member of the NYC Alliance for the Child Nutrition Reauthorization.

LETTERS

SCHUMER LETTER

Your Name

Your Address

Dear Senator Schumer,

As a friend of Slow Food NYC, I believe in a food system that is good for our health and well being, fair to those who produce our food, and good for the planet. I see how obesity and diabetes are hurting our nation and my community. I see that many of our children are at risk. And I see how our schools are struggling to serve real food that is delicious, healthy, and local. When you act on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, please;

1. Provide $1 more per day per child for better school food,

2. Strengthen nutritional standards regarding all the food offered in schools, and

3. Provide funding for healthy eating education and regional farm to school initiatives.

Thank you for supporting real food in our schools.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

GILLIBRAND LETTER

Your Name

Your Address

Dear Senator Gillibrand,

1. Provide $1 more per day per child for better school food,

2. Strengthen nutritional standards regarding all the food offered in schools, and

3. Provide funding for healthy eating education and regional farm to school programs.

Thank you for supporting real food in our schools.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

RANGEL LETTER

Your Name

Your Address

Dear Representative Rangel,

As a Manhattan resident and friend of Slow Food NYC, I believe in a food system that is good for our health and well being, fair to those who produce our food, and good for the planet. I see how obesity and diabetes are hurting our community. I see that many of our children are at risk. And I see how are our schools are struggling to serve real food that is delicious, healthy, and local. When you act on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, please;

1. Provide $1 more per day per child for better school food,

2. Strengthen nutritional standards regarding all the food offered in schools, and

3. Provide funding for healthy eating education and regional farm to school initiatives.

Thank you for supporting real food in our schools.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

CLARK LETTER

Your Name

Your Address

Dear Representative Clark,

As a Brooklyn resident and friend of Slow Food NYC, I believe in a food system that is good for our health and well being, fair to those who produce our food, and good for the planet. I see how obesity and diabetes are hurting our community. I see that many of our children are at risk. And I see how are schools are struggling to serve real food that is delicious, healthy, and local. When you act on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, please;

1. Provide $1 more per day per child for better school food,

2. Strengthen nutritional standards regarding all the food offered in schools, and

3. Provide funding for healthy eating education and regional farm to school initiatives.

Thank you for supporting real food in our schools.

Sincerely,

Your Signature