Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) and the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Keep Kids Fed Act to allow school lunch programs to provide meals to more kids through the summer.
“Many Iowa families rely on school for the healthy, nutritious meals that their children need to thrive – especially as we continue to see prices rise. No child should have to go hungry, which is why I co-sponsored legislation and wrote a letter to leadership asking we act immediately to keep these healthy and nutritious meals accessible for our students,” said Rep. Axne. “Not only is this the right thing to do, but ensuring all students are fed sets them up for success in the classroom and beyond. I am pleased I was able to vote with my colleagues in the House to keep our children fed, and I will continue this fight to make sure this issue is resolved before the school meal waivers expire June 30.”
The Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 extends flexibilities provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make sure schools can continue to provide meals for students. These waivers have been a lifeline for school districts looking to provide healthy meals to students, navigate supply chain issues, and grapple with rising food costs.
According to a report by No Kid Hungry, an estimated 75,000 kids in Iowa would lose access to meals if the waivers are allowed to expire on June 30, 2022.
The Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022:
- Provides nationwide waiver authority for school meal flexibilities that do not increase costs;
- Allows waivers related to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) during the summer months;
- Increases reimbursement rates for the 2022-2023 school year by an additional 15 cents per breakfast and 40 cents per lunch; and
- Provides enhanced support to the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP).
Click here to read the letter.
Original source can be found here.
