public policy committee

The April 14th meeting of the FSNYC Policy Committee, facilitated by Kristen Mancinelli, City Harvest, will cover an important upcoming federal legislation, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR), and focus on ways to engage NYC groups to advocate for their priorities in this legislation. Join us, Tuesday, April 14th,  2:15-3:15, immediately following the Open Networking Meeting at Citizens Committee for NYC, 305 7th Ave, 15th floor, NY NY.

Why the Child Nutrition Reauthorization is important to New York City:

Later this year the federal government will reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act (CNA). This legislation sets rules and funding levels for the major school-based nutrition programs, including the School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Summer Food Service Program. New York City has much to gain from improvements to and increased funding for programs in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR). These programs collectively bring over $350 million into New York City each year and provide food to over 860,000 NYC schoolchildren every day.

Other federal programs authorized under the CNA, such as the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the WIC program for women, infants and children, bring upwards of $500 million in federal funding to New York State each year, much of that going to recipients under five years old in New York City.

Within the CNR there is an opportunity to:

•    Increase healthy food access and reduce child hunger
•    Support the nutritional health of the city’s most vulnerable populations
•    Modernize infrastructure and reduce energy use and pollution
•    Stimulate economic activity and support the regional economy

February 10th, 2-3pm, City Harvest

Following the Open Networking Meeting, Please Join us for an hour meeting focusing on:

• Update from Steering Committee members on outcomes and next steps for The Politics of Food: A Conference on New York's Next Policy Challenge
• Next Steps in Policy Education: blog and list serve strategizing
• Other announcements and updates as time permits

Posted by FSNYC Policy Committee

From school food to the soda tax to outcomes from the politics of food conference, 2009 will be a year for food systems change. Join the Food Systems Network Policy Committee meeting to share your expertise on NYC policy initiatives, learn from other members and help develop a cohesive food policy for NYC.   At the second policy committee meeting following the Jan. 13th Food Systems Networking meeting, we will:

• get an update on the recommendations that came out of the Manhattan Borough President's Politics of Food Conference and discuss next steps
• review goals and objectives of the committee
• identify gaps for greater inclusion and diversity in the work of the committee
• begin to develop a plan for policy outreach and information sharing, including development of the policy blog. 

Come with your ideas for future themes, updates and announcements on important policy opportunities.

We hope you'll join us!

If you are unable to attend and are interested in learning more about the Policy Committee, please contact Committee Co-Chairs Thomas Forster, thomasforster2@gmail.com, or Nevin Cohen, cohenn@newschool.edu.

Full Agenda Attached.