We could reach even more kids in need. My food Bank Provides more hot meals a day or case throughout the year. Children who visit partner sites were not partner sites a model to receive a nutritious meal bubble have a safe alternative to being on the streets. They get tutoring mentoring and sports. Far too many children cant read afterschool programs particularly in the summer. My stay of less than 10 of the lowincome kids in and 18 nationally. Why is that . Our programs are concentrated in Jefferson County and urban county were programming and services are available at many children can get the sites. The current number of 3d model which requires real designated site works great in these instances were children have congregated for tutoring and mentoring. We face two challenges enriching kids in a warm rural community. Lack of sites and transportation. Those communities simply lack facilities were kids can congregate and consuming that which makes the onset eating requirement difficult or impossible to comply with. Even schools that try to provide feeding report low participation rates because kids are not able to travel to the site each day. Several policy changes you can make would help reach markets during the summer and afterschool and we believe will require a twopart strategy. First, strength in the sybase model by streamlining programs and making it easier for providers to expand the number of sites for children. We have to operate two different federal programs. Wondering the school year and another in the summer, even serving the same kids the same meals at the same sites yearround. Moving to one program will allow us to focus on feeding kids for not pushing paperwork. Additionally, lowering the area element that should the threshold from 15 to 40 will expand the sites available and align eligibility with other federally funded youth programs. No two communities at the same. We need to continue to mainstream accountability while providing new Program Models that local communities can tailor circumstances can make progress in closing the summer gap. Dare to care rents privately funded programs. Our Backpack Program provides children with this on the weekend and in the summer. Limited resources mean they cannot provide a backpack to every kid who needs one. But it looked in the mobile summer feeding programs for Rural Communities are so smelled far apart that the time requirement of having kids eat a full meal before going to the next location would limit the number of children and the cosper hypnotist. Waiving the requirement to allow the Program Models and hard to reach areas will address barriers and significantly expand the number of children we reach. Finally the summer demonstration project will provide another model effective at reducing Food Insecurity and nature shame. This model, film is a children receiving free and reduced price meals are given in ebt card to purchase the Retail Stores in the summer. We would like to see this expanded in communities that pioneered and are particularly difficult to reach. I would like to close by saying i am convinced the child hunger is a solvable problem. It will require collaboration between government, business and nonprofit stakeholders and we count on it to a close in the summer hunger cap a top priority and child nutrition reauthorization and get food banks likeminded tools they need to serve every hungry child. I thank you for the opportunity to testify and im happy to take questions. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today. Im the state director of West Virginia and i would like to give you my of the last two reauthorization finale implemented them at the state agency level. As you know in april 2007 iowa and released a report church and standards for foods in schools. Nine months later West Virginia adopted standards and School Nutrition policy. The progressive standards were implemented in the cafeteria and outside the cafeteria. We were quite schools have more fresh fruits and vegetables are we also implemented the scam and 1 milk provision. Our sodium standard was 100 milligrams of sodium a little more stringent than the tier one requiremerequireme nt and we adapted the whole greenwich standard back in 2008. We do not permit all card sales in West Virginia and children into the cafeteria they get a unit test method make similar pattern for usda. We thought it was the right thing nutritionally for the student and financially for the School District. Outside the cafeteria we implemented the competitive sales roles for all foods sold, and served to students during the school day. Junk food machines vending machines and vending machines and stories had to mean attrition standard set forth by the iom. We also address how the fundraising and require a School Fundraising was to occur during the school day on School Property that it had to meet the nutrition standards as well. We also instituted the professional standards at the time and had a staffing requirement whereby we required continuing education hours in a certain level degree for the Food Service Director district level. Additionally, we did Something Different as well. We address the food coming in from outside sources. Weve done everything we could to ensure the School Environment was a safe and Healthy Learning environment and the cafeteria and the School Environment yet we turned a blind eye to what was coming in the back door in the form of parties and things of that nature. We instituted a provision to address that as well. In 2010 in anticipation of the healthy hunger free kids act we redirected our focus on the technology and developed a statewide automated Electronic System whereby every Public School in West Virginia utilizes the same pointofsale software. Students that come to the Public School system in West Virginia a lot of times well just put their finger their index finger on a biometric scanning pad and it logs and categorizes the nail. That is increased efficiency and accountability in the program and has dispensed with a lot of the over claiming problems other School Districts were seeing. The direct certification match when you have a statewide system like this is done at the state agency level. We do the direct certification match as well as the determination for Community Eligibility at the state agency and we pushed the date it down to schools. One schools figured their claim for reimbursement the data is loaded to the district level and push to the state agency level. The interface goes both ways in the state agency to the school from the school to the state agency. I do a maximum were able to a statewide eligibility so the needy families typically look around throughout the state. But we are able to do is focus on ensuring that meal eligibility benefits were not interrupted. No longer were they required to submit an application at the new School District eligibility followed them just like their name or their student i. D. Did. This also made it easy for us to monitor the system and improve the efficiency and integrity of the system. The threeyear monitoring cycle went from a five year to three or was not a burden for us. 50 of the monitoring is completed in our office at the Central Office at the state agency level before we even entered the field. We have a great relationship with the the snap intended to Foster Childs folks to get the direct certification uploaded on a weekly basis. We also piloted the secondyear Community Eligibility. The firstyear West Virginia was not select to but we did it anyway. They piloted a state agency level and something called the free meals pilot project. Cep is alive and thriving in West Virginia. 54 of all of our Public Schools or Community EligibilityWest Virginia and im very proud of that. The key to that working with an act that we brought about called the seed to achieve act was an actor Legislature Passed every of my School Breakfast with the instructiinstructi onal day. Im about to run out of time. The act passed without a fiscal note and actually builds upon the programs we are to have in place and ensure that all children would receive at least two reimbursed meals per day. Thank you and ill take questions. Ms. Jones. First thank you for inviting me here today to testify. School nutrition professionals across kansas are working hard to ensure children receive attrition required for the health and academic success. Hungry children simply cannot learn and thrive. The Public Schools are the secondlargest School District in kansas. I am responsible for all financial aspects of our nutrition programs. Our department has 275 employees serving 24,000 meals per day on a 12. 5 million budget. 27 of our students receive free or reduced price meals. Adelaide we are committed to delivering nutritious meals thanks to our free backtrace in the classroom and five Elementary Schools we are serving 850 more healthy practice each day. Resulting in fewer targets and absentees and better behavior estimates are no longer complaining about being hungry. We participate in summer feeding serving 1900 meals per day come expanding access to Critical Services themselves are programmed to remain financially sound like providing attrition title ii her students. Even before the healthy hunger free kids act, School Nutrition professionals have worked hard to improve school menus. In our district weve offered unlimited fruits and vegetables, served whole grains and meat limits on calories and unhealthy fats by reducing sodium. However we face many challenges. Under the rules many students now bring meals from home. Our Elementary School participation has dropped more than 9 and at the secondary school, revenue has dropped as many students have stopped purchasing all of her choices. Almost all the students leaving a Lunch Program are paid students. If the trend continues the School Cafeteria will no longer be a place for all students go to eat, but a place where poor students go to get their free meal. We have worked for years to fight the stigma so it is heartbreaking to see our progress decline. Give the students are leaving the program for a variety of reasons. Had lunch at putting mandates as many schools to raise lunch prices. Many families do not qualify for a meal assistance butter meal assistance butter straight win financially. As we continue to raise prices some will no longer be able to afford to be with us and financial losses may force our programs to cut staff so they impact the community. Smart snack rules have led to huge declines in all a cart with an estimated loss of 700,000 in revenue. Items such as are fresh to go salad had to be taken off the menu because the small amounts of meat cheese and salad dressings do not meet the sodium and requirements. Our sub sandwich was a very popular all cart item but to make the rules we have to shrink their size, remove the cheese then switch to whole grain bread. Now we saw very few. We have also had opportunities to serve diet soda sugar free gum and coffee. We have chosen not to serve these items, but it shows you how regulations do not always make sense. Despite our best efforts to make meals more appealing we are struggling with student acceptance. We are particularly challenged by an wholegrain restrictive, pizza crust and other items that appeal to her students. Every student must not take a fruit or vegetable with their meals whether they intend to eat it or not. As a result weve seen an increase in good food going to waste in our schools. We promote fruit and vegetable choices with free samples and night try to stickers to encourage consumptions but forcing students to take fruits and vegetables turns a and vegetables turns a healthy choice into a negative experience, encourage and educate is always the best option. Olathe program selfsupporting and operates on a tight budget after labor and supply costs insurance, utilities equipment and other expenses we are left with 1 dollar to spend on food for each tray. Imagine going to the Grocery Store with 5 to spend for a family of four, including milk fruit, vegetable and a healthy entree. Could you do that everyday of the week . My involvement in the school of attrition of kansas has allowed me to witness the accomplishments all across kansas and missouri. Some districts overcome challenges under the new role particularly those with high free and reduced price eligibility, which provides higher reimbursed and and participation in access to federal grants and programs. However, many districts are struggling with reduced revenue, declining participation in the higher cost of preparing meals. We dont have access to many federal grants. That is why it is vital to allow flexibility to allow programs to be successful for the students and families we serve. A lot of negative press about School Nutrition programs for flexibility. Today this is her fault. We are only asking to make sure all are successful, have shaken the knowledge that we know what is best for the children thank you for the opportunity. Ill take any questions. Yes. Thank you and good morning. Id like to thank chairman roberts and Ranking Member stabenow for inviting me here today. As i was introduced, i am dr. Sandra hassink at the american pediatrics, Nonprofit Organization of 62,000 primary care pediatrician and pediatric medical and surgical specialists Whose Mission it is to obtain the optimal physical, mental and social health and wellbeing for all infants, children adolescents and young adults. Its an honor to be here today speaking about a subject to which ive dedicated my lifes work. Childhood obesity and connection between nutrition and health. The foundation of child health are built upon insuring the three basic needs of every child. Sound and appropriate nutrition, stable, responsive and nurturing relationships and safe and healthy environment and communities. Meeting these needs through each child is fundamental to achieving and sustaining Optimal Health and wellbeing into adulthood for every child. Early investments in child health and nutrition are crucial. The time. From pregnancy through Early Childhood is one of rapid physical, cognitive, emotional and social development and because it is the time. In a childs life can set the stage for a lifetime of good health and success in learning relationships or it can be a time of toxic stress when physical, mental and social health and learning are compromised. Micronutrients such as iron and folate have demonstrated effects on Brain Development that are commonly deficient in pregnant women in the United States. These deficiencies lead to delays in attention, motor development, poor shortterm memory and lower i. Q. Scores. One of the most Effective Investments congress can make during the prenatal to school age. It is to support the special Supplemental Nutrition Program for women, inference and children and i think the committee for his strong bipartisan support over the past four decades. Which helps give children a healthy start by providing attrition as foods nutrition and breastfeeding support. Children who receive wic have improved birth outcomes come increased rates of unionization, better access to health care through medical home and participation may help reduce childhood obesity. Wic has played an Important Role in promoting breastfeeding and improving breastfeeding initiation. We recommend the Committee Say to find ways to promote initiatioinitiatio n and continuation even further in the program, including by an increase in the authorization for the breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program for 180 million. Wic is a targeted intervention for mothers and Young Children impacts longterm in nature including improved health outcome, educational prospects and prosperity of communities. As a pediatrician and seeing firsthand the importance of nutrition and child health. When i started my practice and chatted with management 27 years ago i was in adolescents. When i retired last october at a special clinic for children under five at the obesity and we were seen him since. These children already showing the effects of their increased body mass index on Blood Pressure in measures of blood sugar control. We saw obesity related Liver Disease in 4yearolds and