Media Contact:
Jordan Baker
jbaker@frac.org
202-640-1118
Statement attributed to Luis Guardia, president, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
WASHINGTON, August 31, 2020 — The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for heeding the anti-hunger, education, youth-serving communities’ and bi-partisan call to extend waivers for critical child nutrition programs that ensure the growing number of children at risk of hunger can get the nutrition they need.
This extension will ensure schools and private nonprofit organizations serving as summer meal program operators have the flexibility to reach low-income children who rely on free and reduced-price school meals while schools are shuttered or have schedules that include both remote and in-classroom learning.
FRAC commends the USDA for extending these waivers but we ask that the waivers be extended through June 30, 2021, to address the long-term economic fallout of COVID-19.
By extending all waivers throughout the school year, schools and program operators will have the ability to efficiently and easily provide meals to children. The USDA and Congress must use all of the tools in the recovery toolbox to mitigate the growing and alarming rates of food insecurity caused by COVID-19. If not, millions of our nation’s children are at risk of going hungry.
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For 50 years, the Food Research & Action Center has been the leading national nonprofit organization working to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the United States. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.
