Reach Out to Congress This Spring Recess on Child Nutrition Waivers, Community Eligibility Provision, and Summer EBT

From the Food Research and Action Center (http://www.frac.org):

Get ready to spring into action for the spring Congressional recess (April 11-24)!

Now is the time for anti-hunger advocates to go full throttle in their outreach to Congress around Child Nutrition Waivers, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), and Summer EBT – all of which may be in play for upcoming legislative vehicles.

Now is the time to act. Democratic leaders have signaled that after the spring recess, they intend to turn their attention to the reconciliation/recovery package and emergency supplemental appropriations.

Take Action Now: 

• Invite your Members of Congress to a meeting or roundtable discussion with others in your state or district. The “ask” should include urging Members to pass legislation to ensure that children can access healthy, nutritious meals and snacks through the child nutrition programs at school, child care, and in out of school time programs. Leave Behind 2022: Urgent Child Nutrition Priorities: Waivers, CEP, Summer EBT.
• Email your Members through the FRAC Action Network. Share this link with your state and local partners to create a groundswell of support for child nutrition program priorities.
• Invite your Member of Congress on a Site Visit. Seeing children, families, and individuals engaged in activities, eating healthy, nutritious meals, and having access to food can move an elected official to become a champion for strengthening the programs.  Use our, “Site Visit Guide,” to navigate a site visit with your Members of Congress.
• Tag & Tell Congress to Strengthen Child Nutrition Programs and Expand the Waivers. Use  these sample messages and tag your Members of Congress and @fractweets:

Use @fractweets Action Network to urge your Members of Congress to extend the #childnutrition waivers to keep our nation’s children fed. Schools, child care, & families continue to recover from the impact of #COVID and need support. We can’t turn back now. 

It’s time to spring into action! Urge Congress to strengthen #childnutrition programs, including the extension of #childnutrition waivers, expansion of #CEP, and a permanent Summer EBT program in their next legislative vehicle. Use @fractweets Action Network. https://p2a.co/1ARaoWb

Hungry children can’t wait!  Join @fractweets and over 2000 organizations ( https://t.co/FMKS5mJoVVin) in  urging your Members of Congress to extend @USDA’s #childnutrition authority into SY 2022-23 to help keep children fed. https://p2a.co/1ARaoWb