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
End
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 administrati...
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