* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Mosby
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Three Summer Meals
FOR the purpose of calling upon Baltimore's federal delegation to request that the Summer Food Service Program be strengthened and altered to allow sites to serve three nutritious meals a day during the summer.
body
Recitals
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded program that reimburses sponsoring organizations for meals. In 2013 in Baltimore City, over 1.2 million meals were served through this program at 608 citywide locations, including recreation centers, schools, mobile meals sites, and community and faith based sites.
In Baltimore City, 52% of children who eat a free or reduced price lunch during the school year also eat a summer meal.
The federal law that authorizes this program allows each site to serve only two meals, and specifies that the combination of those two meals may not be lunch and supper.
Through the Baltimore Partnership to End Childhood Hunger, housed at the Family League, Baltimore City has a strong infrastructure of summer meal sponsors, nonprofits, City and State agencies, faith based organizations, community groups, and elected officials, all of whom come together from August to July to maximize participation in the Summer Food Service Program. The Partnership collects, analyzes, and maps data; creates and disseminates outreach materials; canvasses neighborhoods; and trains community volunteers to increase both the number of sites that serve meals and the turnout at those sites.
The work of this Partnership increased the number of summer meals served by 10% from 2012 to 2013. The goal of the Partnership is that, by 2015, 60% of kids who eat free lunch during the school year also eat a summer meal. In 2014, the Partnership's goal is a 20% increase in meals served so 55% of eligible Baltimore children receive summer meals each day, a goal in line with the national goal set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
However, the restriction on the number and type of meals that may be served per site will make it difficult to reach the 2014 goal.
Community and faith leaders held a rally on June 14th to share testimony about how this policy affects their ability to serve their neighbors. Lifting this issue up to our Federal delegation is the first step down the path to addressing the issue in the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization. It is critical that all levels of government be engaged in this movement to better ser4ve Baltimore's children.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Council calls on the Maryland delegation to the 113th Congress to strengthen the Summer Food Service Program during the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization to allow sites to serve children three nutritious meals a day during the summer.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the campaign to allow sites to serve three meals be known as #3meals4bmore.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Maryland delegation to the 113th Congress, the Baltimore Partnership to End Childhood Hunger, the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in Maryland, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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