Attention: Miss Louise A. K. Frolich. Dr. JOHN PERRYMAN, STATE OF NEW MEXICO, Santa Fe, September 10, 1971. Executive Director, American School Food Service Association, DEAR MR. PERRYMAN: As a result of inquiries made this past week among a broad sampling of school districts in New Mexico, we have calculated some of the most significant affects which this year's cutback in school lunch program funding will have upon the National School Lunch Program in New Mexico. I sent a letter on September 1, 1971, to 22 representative districts of New Mexico asking specific questions of superintendents as to the outlook for the current school year in light of present funding regulations. As of today, September 10, we have received 15 responses. The statistics given here will give an indication of the scope of the problem for the State of New Mexico. The 15 schools who have responded to this request are: Albuquerque, Belen, Bernalillo, Carlsbad, Shiprock, Clovis, Grants, Gallup, Las Cruces, West Las Vegas, Lovington, Penasco, Santa Fe, Socorro, and Springer. These 15 districts represent a broad cross section as to size, number of needy children, geographical location, and participation in the program. This represents about 12 percent of the total number of participating districts (public and non-public) in New Mexico. The following questions were asked and the answers represent the totals for these 15 districts: 1. Q. How many school lunches do you estimate will be served this year? A. In the 15 districts, 17,556,000 meals will be served. 2. Q. How many needy children will be served this year compared to last year? A. An estimated 47,490 needy children will be served this year in these districts. This represents an increase of 9,243 children over last year. The primary reason for this increase is because of the liberalized guidelines issued by the Secretary of Agriculture. In addition, some increase should be due to the fact that the program has been in operation for one year and increased publicity would bring in more applications. 3. Q. How much do you estimate total reimbursements will be decreased this year under the proposed funding compared to last year's total? A. In these 15 districts a total decrease in funding will come to $610,000. 4. Q. Using May prices for food, what do you estimate each lunch will cost this school year? A. An average food cost for the 15 districts is $.45 for the current school year. 5. Q. How long do you estimate the district can continue the lunch program under the proposed funding? A. Most of the 15 districts indicated that they could operate the program until December or January of the current school year. One district indicated that they thought they could "barely" complete the current school year, without any funds left with which to open the operation a year from this fall. The earliest termination dates given were December of 1970. These dates were given by Albuquerque and Santa Fe. 6. Q. If the lunch program ceases, where would the children eat or would they have lunch? A. The districts answered that the large number of needy children in their district would probably go without any lunch at all. They also said that provision of snack bars and a la carte service would provide some food service for those who could afford to buy. Most of the districts indicated that long bussing distances would make even the sack lunch impractical because of the long period which the lunch would have to sit in an unrefrigerated area before the noon hour period. 7. Q. If the lunch program ceases, how many employees would be affected? A. In the 15 districts responding, there are 1,427 employees who would face unemployment and possibly return to welfare assistance in some form. 8. Q. If the lunch program ceases, how will this affect the economy of your community? A. The 15 districts answering this inquiry stated that the annual input into the local communities would amount to $7,076,543. This money then would be taken out of the community economies and would cause a severe threat to the stability of many businesses now depending upon this income. Many further observations and conclusions could be drawn from the additional information provided by superintendents in their letters; however, the statistics given should indicate the gravity of this current situation. It is obvious from the information given that school districts cannot possibly meet the $.45 food cost with a $.06 reimbursement from Section 4 and a $.30 reimbursement from Section 11 and 32 monies. I hope this information will be of assistance to you in considering further action to appeal for reconsideration of funding plans for the 1971-72 school year. Very sincerely yours, Enclosure. Mrs. GRETCHEN Y. PLAGGE, Director, School Food Services Division. NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM WHAT IT IS The National School Lunch Program is a grant-in-aid program of Federal assistance to the States. It helps provide, through cash reimbursements and donated foods, nominally priced, wholesome, appetizing lunches to the Nation's school children every school day. These lunches make an important contribution to good nutrition, vital to both mental and physical growth during a child's formative years. For those unable to pay the regular price, usually those for whom a balanced lunch is especially important, lunches are provided free or at a reduced price. At the same time the program fills vital nutrition needs, it educates children in proper diet. HOW IT STARTED Providing lunches in school is not a new concept. The first known school feeding operation in the United States began in 1853. By the turn of the century several cities were operating "penny lunch programs" in elementary schools. It was not until the early 1930's, however, that the Federal Government initiated a food assistance program to schools. This was the beginning of a chain of events which eventually led to the passage of the National School Lunch Act of 1946, thereby establishing school food service as an integral part of the U.S. educational system. Specifically, the Congress declared that the objective of the 1946 National School Lunch Act is "to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation's children, and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other food." WHO IS ELIGIBLE All public and nonprofit private schools (such as parochial, sectarian, and denominational schools) of high school grade or under may apply for the program. In order to obtain Federal aid, schools agree to : Operate the lunch program on a nonprofit basis for all children regardless of race, color, or national origin; Provide lunches free or at a reduced price to children who are determined by local school authorities following minimum Federal guidelines to be unable to pay the full price of the lunch. Children receiving free or reducedprice lunches must not be so identified, nor otherwise discriminated against; Serve nutritious lunches that meet the requirement for Type A lunches as established by the Secretary of Agriculture. THE TYPE A LUNCH The Type A lunch is designed to meet at least one-third of the daily dietary allowances recommended by the National Research Council for 10- to 12-year-old boys and girls. The Type A pattern includes as a minimum: 1. One-half pint of fluid whole milk as a beverage. 2. Two ounces (edible portion as served) of lean meat, poultry, or fish; two ounces of cheese; or one egg; or one-halfcup of cooked dry beans or peas; or four tablespoons of peanut butter; or an equivalent quantity of any combination of the above-listed foods. To be counted in meeting this requirement, these foods must be served in a main dish, or in a main dish and one other menu item. 3. A three-fourths cup serving consisting of two or more vegetables or fruits, or both. Full-strength vegetable or fruit juice may be counted to meet not more than one-fourth cup of this requirement. 4. One slice of whole-grain or enriched bread; or a serving of cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc., made of whole-grain or enriched meal or flour. 5. One teaspoon of butter or fortified margarine. WHO OPERATES IT The School Lunch Program is essentially a community effort. Local school authorities and interested local citizens operate lunchrooms in their community schools throughout the country. The Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the program in cooperation with State Departments of Education which, in turn, enter into agreements with the schools for the operation of the program. In a number of States, the State Departments of Education cannot administer the program in private schools. In those States, such schools may apply for participation directly to the Food and Nutrition Service Regional Offices. Cash FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO THE PROGRAM Federal funds for the School Lunch Program are apportioned among the States to be used in reimbursing schools for part of the cost of the food they purchase. The amount of money each State receives is determined on the basis of two factors: (1) school lunch participation in the State, and (2) per capita income for the State. For each lunch served meeting program standards schools receive reimbursement according to their need as determined by their State agency, of FNS Regional Office where applicable. In addition, special cash assistance is provided to help bear the cost of free and reduced price lunches. In cases of extreme need up to 100 percent of the cost of food service operation, provided that it does not exceed 60 cents per lunch, may be reimbursed. Federal funds used in a State for reimbursing schools must be matched with funds from sources within the State . . . including State and locally appropriated funds, children's payments, donated goods and services, etc. . . . at the rate of three dollars for each Federal dollar. Food Approximately 80 percent of the food used in the School Lunch Program is purchased by schools on the local market. Foods acquired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under its farm programs are generally available to all eligible nonprofit school lunch programs. The variety and quantity of these foods donated to schools depends on the kinds and amounts in Government inventory and on whether they can be used effectively. Administrative Aid Both Federal and State personnel are available to provide administrative and technical assistance and to advise local managers on operating individual school lunch programs. Up to one percent of the total program funds are available for nutritional training and education for workers, cooperators, and participants in the program. Also, USDA may reserve up to one percent of the funds available for apportionment to the State to carry out special developmental projects. HOW TO GET MORE INFORMATION While the School Lunch Program is now available to a majority of children, it is not yet established in many schools and many areas where the need is greatest. Federal, State, and local authorities stand ready to help communities and schools provide lunch service for all children. The School Lunch Program is one of several inter-related activities of USDA aimed at helping needy people to improve their diets. Help is also provided for schools wanting to start breakfast service and provide extra milk for their students, under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. Details of all USDA child feeding programs are in a publication, Child Nutrition Programs, PA-948, which may be obtained from Office of Information, USDA, Washington, D.C. 20250. For additional information on all these school feeding activities, public and nonprofit private schools should write to the State educational agency in their capital city.' In the following States the State educational agency is not permitted by law to administer the program in nonprofit private schools; therefore, applicants should write to the appropriate USDA regional office as listed: NORTHEAST Maine; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; West Virginia: Regional Office, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York 10007. SOUTHEAST Alabama; South Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia: Regional Office, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1718 Peachtree Road, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30309. MIDWEST Iowa; Michigan; Nebraska; North Dakota; Ohio; Wisconsin: Regional Office, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 536 South Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605. SOUTHWEST Arkansas; Colorado; Texas: Regional Office, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 500 South Ervay Street, Dallas, Texas 75201. WESTERN Hawaii; Idaho; Montana; Nevada; Washington: Regional Office, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 630 Sansome Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94111. NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK The Congress, by a joint resolution, has designated the seven-day period beginning on the second Sunday of October in each year as National School Lunch Week, and has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation calling for the observance of that week. Hon. GEORGE MCGOVERN, NORTH CAROLINA CONCORD CITY SCHOOLS, Concord, N.C., September 16, 1971. Senate Annex Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR MCGOVERN: During the 1970-71 school year, the Concord City Schools served 524,435 student lunches-979 reduced price, 417,377 paid, and 106,079 free. We received for the year a lunch reimbursement of $71,291.66. Under the regulations now out, the maximum reimbursements are 5¢ for paid lunches and 30¢ for free lunches. This will give us a reimbursement for the above figures of $52,986.25. This will mean a loss in reimbursement of $18,305.41. The number of free student lunches is approximately 5% more this year so this means an even greater loss. At this point, I cannot see how school lunch can operate with such a tremendous loss in funds. I urge you to help us by any means possible to at least receive the reimbursement established last school year. We just simply cannot operate by increasing the number of free or needy lunches served and decreasing the funds available to do the job. Very truly yours, 1 Maryland State Agency is in Baltimore. (Mrs.) JOHNSIE BEAVER, School Food Service Director. Hon. GEORGE MCGOVERN, ALBEMARLE CITY SCHOOLS, Albemarle, N.C., September 27, 1971. Senator from South Dakota, Senate Annex Building, DEAR SENATOR MCGOVERN: We are a small school unit struggling with our lunchroom feeding program and would like to request that you use all the strength at your command to bring about some changes in the position of USDA. We have recently been informed that our tentative reimbursement rate for the 1971-72 school year will be 35¢ for free and reduced-price lunches and 5¢ for paid lunches, a reduction of 1¢ each from the rate received last year. If the reimbursement rate is not increased, we will receive approximately $4,000.00 less in reimbursement funds than we received last year; and our program last year was marginal. It is rather ironical that USDA regulations would require us to encourage more children and parents to apply for free lunches and then reduce the reimbursement rate for the lunches. Our program to secure more applicants for free lunches has certainly been successful as evidenced by the fact that we have 37% more applicants for free lunches this September than last. The average cost of producing a lunch in our school system is 40.4¢. If we receive the tentative 35¢ per lunch reimbursement for free lunches for the 1971-72 school year, it will be virtually impossible for us to continue to operate our lunchroom feeding program and provide free lunches for all needy children. I have been in meetings with many North Carolina school administrators in recent days, and it seems we all face the same dilemma. We must look to you and the Congress for help in the matter. If you desire further information or need someone at the grass-roots level to testify regarding this matter, I shall be happy to do so. We shall look forward to your help. H. T. WEBB, Jr., Superintendent. CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D.C., September 2, 1971. Senator GEORGE MCGOVERN, Chairman, Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, DEAR SENATOR MCGOVERN: It is my understanding your Committee will hold hearings next Tuesday, September 7, at which time the School Lunch Program will be discussed. I believe the enclosed copies of letters from two counties in my District will be of interest to you. It is hoped the proposed changes by the Department of Agriculture will be delayed until it is finally determined every needy child will be fed for the entire school year. Sincerely, WALTER B. JONES, LENOIR COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Re Proposed changes in Federal School Lunch Program-Special Assistance. DEAR CONGRESSMAN JONES: During the 1970-71 school year, the Lenior County School Cafeterias provided 487,305 free or reduced price lunches to deprived children. This was 46.5% of all lunches served and means that 2,721 hungry children received a Type A lunch each day. This would not have been possible had it not been for the United States Department of Agriculture's Special Assistance Program, which provided 45¢ reimbursement on free or reduced price lunches and 12¢ on each paid lunch. |