Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 06-03-2024
Title:
title
Approval of and authorization to execute a Proclamation declaring the month of June 2024, Summer Meals Month
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Background:
WHEREAS, summer is the hungriest time of year for many children when families struggle to make up for lost school meals, food insecurity tends to increase; and
WHEREAS, 53 percent of school-aged kids-30 million in total-qualify for free or reduced-price school meals but don’t get these meals when school is out for the summer
WHEREAS, children who are food insecure are more likely to miss school, perform worse academically, experience social, emotional, and mental health challenges, forego healthcare, and develop chronic disease; and
WHEREAS, the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option and the Summer Food Service Program, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by state agencies, play a vital role in helping children from low-income and food-insecure households get the nutrition they need during the summer months; and
WHEREAS, the Summer EBT and Non-Congregate Summer Meals are proven, effective interventions that reduce food insecurity during the summer months, and their implementation is a historic opportunity to reduce summer hunger; and
WHEREAS, Summer EBT, which is available to states nationwide in 2024, complements summer meal programs by providing $120 per child, per summer in grocery-buying benefits to families with children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, and likewise alleviates food insecurity and improves child nutrition; and
WHEREAS, summer meal programs are most effective when paired with educational and enrichment activities, which provide students a fun, safe place to be with friends and stay active, help curb the learning loss experienced during the summer months, especially among low-income children, and prepare students to return to school ready to learn and thrive; and
WHEREAS, my administration is committed to increasing awareness about summer meal programs and Summer EBT, and helping ensure that more kids have access to summer meal sites in Broken Arrow so no child goes hungry this summer.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Debra Wimpee, Mayor of Broken Arrow, do hereby proclaim June, 2024 as SUMMER MEALS MONTH.
Cost: $0
Funding Source: None
Requested By: Mayor Debra Wimpee
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
Attachments: Summer Meals Month Proclamation
Recommendation:
recommend
Approve and authorize execution of the proclamation declaring June 2024 Summer Meals Month.
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