Mayor Bill De Blasio has joined the list of officials urging Congress to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act.
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In a letter to key members of Congress Tuesday, Mayor de Blasio stressed that the school lunch programs are some of the most important tools for insuring a long, healthy life.
“Continuing to serve students meals that contain fruits, vegetables and are lower in sodium will help nurture healthy eating habits, which can carry into adulthood and help prevent diet-related health disparities," de Blasio wrote.
He noted that nearly 1.4 million residents of New York City—including 25 percent of children—live in food insecure households, which has devastating effects on the children, such as “a decreased performance in school and increased risk for certain health conditions.”
The mayor’s comments follow Congress’ failure to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act, which expired Sept. 30, so its provisions remain intact.
Like the School Nutrition Association, Blasio and his administration don’t want to settle for the status quo. De Blasio is asking Congress to do a number of things, including extending free meals to all children regardless of income, preserving current nutrition standards and expanding summer food programs.