Help Strengthen Child Nutrition Programs

Please urge your Senators and congressional representative today to support $70 million for nutrition education and promotion as a part of the child nutrition reauthorization. With sky high obesity rates, schools need to teach and encourage healthy eating.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Team Nutrition Network, the federal program overseeing and coordinating nutrition education and promotion activities in schools, has been inadequately funded for years. As a result, kids aren’t taught the skills they need to protect their health and avoid diet-related diseases. There also are inadequate resources, technical assistance, and training to help schools serve healthy food and implement strong nutrition policies.

Congress needs to hear from constituents like you on how vital increased funding is for the Team Nutrition Network. Please call your Senators and Representative through the U.S. Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) or email them (adapt model letter below).

Tell me more

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

As you consider priorities for the upcoming child nutrition reauthorization, I urge you to support mandatory funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Team Nutrition Network.  The Team Nutrition Network needs $70 million per year to provide reliable funding, technical assistance, training, and other support to schools to promote and support healthy eating.

The Child Nutrition Reauthorization provides an important opportunity to strengthen the Team Nutrition Network.  Nutrition education and promotion funding would foster not only healthy eating by children, but also would support local school nutrition and physical activity wellness policies, help implement school nutrition standards, improve commodity choices and processing, support school food safety, leverage existing state and local networks and resources, and increase participation in national child nutrition programs.

Inconsistent and inadequate funding for the Team Nutrition Network has resulted in fragmented or nonexistent nutrition education and promotion programs across the country.   Providing reliable funding to the Team Nutrition Network would support a strong nutrition education program in every state, while allowing states and school districts to address their own unique nutrition education and promotion needs.

Given the sky high rates of obesity and diet-related diseases, nutrition education is essential to addressing children's health and helping establish lifelong healthy eating patterns.  From math class to the cafeteria, there are innovative ways to integrate nutrition education and promotion in schools.  Teaching children to lead healthy lives will serve our children and society well - not only will it support child health and their ability to learn, it also will reduce health-care costs now and in the future.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

Your Congressperson
Your Senators

Complete the following to send this message. If you have participated before, just type in your email address and set your prefix, then submit the form.

Email:*

Prefix:*

First Name:*

Last Name:*

Address Line 1:*

Address Line 2:

City:*

State/ Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:*

Country:*

Check this box if you would like to receive periodic updates or action alerts

* Required Field

Tell-A-Friend