Link: http://www.usda.gov/2006/04/0146.xml Release No. 0146.06 Contact: Jean Daniel (202)720-7711 Susan Acker (703)305-NEWS USDA AWARDS $3.76 MILLION TO STATES TO ENSURE ACCESS TO SCHOOL MEALS FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN WASHINGTON, April 29, 2006 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today awarded $3.76 million in grants to ensure that students who qualify for the Food Stamp Program are provided free meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. "Nutritious meals are an important part of every child's school day," said Johanns. "These grants will enable states to directly certify eligible children for free school meals, ensuring that more children will have access to the nutrition assistance they need." The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 required school districts, over time and depending on size, to certify students eligible for free meals because their family participates in the Food Stamp Program. Under direct certification, food stamp families would not have to submit a separate application to receive free school meals. The 2004 Act also authorized funding for competitive grants to assist states in this effort. Direct certification has been utilized to some extent for more than a decade, although states are at different stages in developing and implementing such systems. The grant money will be used to improve computer data-matching systems or develop new systems in states that do not already use direct certification. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program are federally assisted meal programs operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. They provide nutritionally balanced meals to children each school day. Depending on a family's income, school meals are provided at a low-cost or free of charge. State agencies receiving grants are: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction $ 553,369 California Department of Education $ 553,823 Wyoming Department of Education $ 50,330 Iowa Department of Education $ 83,832 Michigan Department of Education $ 702,427 New Hampshire Department of Education $ 526,739 Tennessee Department of Education $ 60,000 Washington State Office of Public Instruction $ 181,348 Pennsylvania Department of Welfare $1,057,055 Total $3,768,923 More information about the direct certification funding grants is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns. # USDA News oc.news@xxxxxxxx 202 720-4623 ---------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to webservices@xxxxxxxx and reference your email address.
