National School Lunch Week (NSLW) 2024 will take place from October 14–18, 2024. The theme for this year is “School Lunch Pirates: Find Your Treasure!” The goal of the week is to encourage students to view school lunch as more than just a meal but as an exciting journey filled with delicious treasures.
Since 1962, when President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week (NSLW), this annual observance has promoted the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has both in and out of the classroom.
Even though National School Lunch Week was declared in 1962, the National School Lunch Program goes back even further, back to 1946. Created to provide nutritious meals to children from low-income families who might not otherwise have access to a daily meal, NSLP ensures the health and well-being of all public school students, boosts academic performance by giving students the fuel they need to succeed, and closes the opportunity gap for children across the country. Today, the National School Lunch Program serves nearly 30 million children every school day. Not only does it reduce childhood hunger, but it also supports American agriculture.
Advocate for Universal School Meals in Pennsylvania!
This week is a great time to advocate for Universal School Meals in PA! Pennsylvania currently provides free, no-cost school breakfast to all students. But when it comes to lunch, many students are left to fend for themselves. Why do we provide one meal and not the other? It’s time for universal school meals in Pennsylvania. Check out the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania’s (SNAPA) one-pager on the economic benefits of Universal Meals below and sign the petition urging your legislators to vote for Universal Meals.
Join SNAPA on October 18th and November 22nd at 10 am for important Universal Meals Updates:
- Register in advance for the October 18th meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIuc-ysqz4sHdIIZ-tCla_WjCIJSzBD5Q7W
- Register in advance for the post election update meeting on November 22nd: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqd-6pqD0rGtZxB0q28U4hqWkz3nljAOA6
Follow SNAPAs social media pages to stay up to date on their work!
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/UniversalSchoolMealsPA
Instagram – @schoolmealspa
