The expansion of North Carolina’s federally
funded summer feeding programs at additional community
sites will help keep low-income children healthy year-round. Legislators
from CPA’s Southeast Community Policy and Leadership Forum announced a
significant statewide increase in the number of community feeding sites and a
campaign to increase awareness of the sites at a CPA news conference in Raleigh.
"It is unconscionable that in our land of plenty, children should go
hungry," said Darold Johnson, Director of CPA’s Southeast Community Forum.
"We already have the resources to make sure this doesn’t happen. Now
we’ve got to work together to make sure communities know about summer
feeding sites and use them."
More than 750 sites in North Carolina, up from 616 in 1996, will
serve nutritious meals at no charge to children who might otherwise go hungry.
Challenges remain in making sure low-income communities know
their children can access the summer feeding program. State legislators
from the Southeast Forum are working to increase public awareness of
community feeding sites. Nationally, 14 million children are on meal
programs during the school year, but only 2.3 million participate in summer
feeding programs. Estimates show that children who don’t eat well over the
summer start the school year up to three months behind well-fed children.
"Learning does not end when school gets out. Neither does the
need for good nutrition," said North Carolina State Representative and
former CPA Board Member Dan Blue.
Sixteen state legislators are participating in the summer feeding
information campaign, organized by members of CPA’s Southeast Community
Forum. The forum brings together African American state legislators and
advocates from the southeastern U.S. to build stronger communities by
initiating action on key issues confronting our communities. The Southeast Forum
has actively worked to promote children’s health, equitable quality education
and environmental cleanup.
For more information on the Summer Food Service Program or the
Southeast Forum, contact Darold Johnson at CPA, or email [email protected].
