Listening Session How Can We Help Schools Address Food Insecurity?

One out of every six children in Pennsylvania are at-risk of hunger. USDA child nutrition waivers are expiring. How can we protect and support vital school and community meal programs today? 

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress gave USDA the authority to issue nationwide child nutrition waivers that allowed school nutrition programs, local governments, and nonprofits to adapt and continue to offer meals during school closures, virtual learning, and over summer break. With these critical waivers set to expire this year, what support do school systems need to ensure that no student goes hungry?

Join us for this important conversation with a panel of representatives from Feeding PA, School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Farm to School Network, and the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Education. We’ll discuss how we might improve and expand on existing programs, as well as what potential new solutions could help address food insecurity through the school system.

We’ll also discuss the crucial role that farms play in supporting school nutrition programs, and what can be done to reduce the obstacles to getting fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to kids in our communities.The new USDA Food System Transformation Framework includes $160 M set aside for farm-to-school programs and improving school meal initiatives—how can these funds best be put to use?

Speakers

• Vonda Ramp is State Director of Child Nutrition Programs at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Vonda also represents the Department on the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania (SNAPA) board.
• Nicole Melia, RD, LDN, is Food Service Supervisor for the Great Valley School District. Nicole is working to pull together a task force to ensure free meals for students in Pennsylvania. Nicole also serves as Chair of the Public Policy & Legislative Committee on SNAPA’s board and is active in the Pennsylvania Farm to School Network 
• Caryn Long Earl serves as Director of the Bureau of Food Distribution at Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Prior to this appointment, she served for two years as Executive Assistant to Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding.
• Tom Mainzer is Director of Agricultural Partnerships at Feeding Pennsylvania, a nonprofit that works with member food banks to provide food assistance and a shared voice on the issues of hunger across the state.
• Pasa Policy Strategist Sara Nicholas and Tabitha Barbarito, Pasa’s Project Manager for the Foodshed Mapping Project, will moderate this conversation.

Notes

• Online registration closes one hour prior to the event.
• Recordings will be provided to registrants within one to two weeks of the live event.
• Questions? Contact events@pasafarming.org.

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