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Early European Program
A combined program of teaching and feeding hungry, vagrant children was begun in Munich, Germany, by Benjamin Thompson. He was Count constantly seeking to develop meals which would provide the best nutrition at the lowest possible cost. -
Philidelphia Penny Lunches
In Philadelphia, the Starr Center Association began serving penny lunches in one school in 1894, later expanding the service to another. Soon a lunch committee was established within the Home and School League, and lunches were extended to include nine schools in the city. -
Poverty (book)
A book written by Robert Hunter that was published in the U.S. influenced the U.S. effort to feed hungry, needy children in school. -
Boston Experimental Program
An experimental program for elementary schools was begun, taking the form of a mid-morning lunch prepared by the class in Home Economics three days each week. The children ate their meals at their desks, there being no lunchroom in the building. Before the end of the school year (1909-1910) five additional schools were benefiting from the program, and a total of 2,000 pupils were being served each day. -
N.Y.A. Assistance
The National Youth Administration was another Federal agency which also provided assistance to the school lunch program. They supplied help in making tables, chairs and other equipment for the lunchrooms. -
Works Progress Administration (WPA) Assistance
A very substantial contribution from Federal sources became available in this area of program operations. This agency was created to provide work for needy persons on public works projects. School lunch work was assigned to the Community Service Division of W.P.A. -
Commodity Donation Program
Public Law 320 passed by the 74th Congress and approved August 24,1936, made available to the Secretary of Agriculture an amount of money equal to 30 percent of the gross receipts from duties collected under the customs laws during each calendar year. Needy families and school lunch programs became constructive outlets for the commodities purchased by the USDA under the terms of such legislation. -
15 States pass laws to operate lunchrooms
15 States had passed laws specifically authorizing local school boards to operate lunchrooms. Although the laws commonly authorized the serving of meals at cost, usually the cost of the food only, four States made special provisions for needy children. -
Authorization of Federal Funds
The 78th Congress enacted Public Law 129, amending Section 32 of the Agricultural Act of 1935, authorizing the expenditure of Section 32 funds not in excess of $60 million for maintaining the school lunch and school milk programs. This assistance was in the form of cash subsidy payments to school lunch sponsors for the purchase of food for the program. -
National School Lunch Act
The 79th Congress recognized the need. Legislation was introduced to give the program a permanent status and to authorize the necessary appropriations for it. It was referred to as the, "National School Lunch Act". -
1962 Amendments
In correcting this situation, Section 4 of the Act was amended to provide that funds would be apportioned on the basis of (1) the participation rate for the State and (2) the assistance need rate for the State. -
National School Lunch Week Established
An annual National School Lunch Week was established on October 9,1962, by a Joint Resolution of Congress. -
School Milk Program
With the inauguration of the Child Nutrition Act, the Special Milk Program was made a part of that Act. -
Child Nutrition Act
The policy of Congress that these efforts shall be extended, expanded, and strengthened under the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture as a measure to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation's children, and to encourage the domestic consumption of agricultural and other foods, by assisting States, through grants-in-aid and other means, to meet more effectively the nutritional needs of our children. -
Pilot Breakfast Program
The breakfasts were required to meet the nutritional standards established by the Secretary of Agriculture, on the basis of tested nutritional research. Schools were required to serve the meal free of charge or at reduced charge to children who were unable to pay the full charge, and, as in the case of the school lunch program, there could be no segregation of, or discrimination against, any child because of inability to pay. -
Action by the President
The President sent a message to Congres3 outlining the problem facing the Nation and making recommendations for action by the Congres3 and governmental agencies to eliminate hunger and malnutrition and insure a healthful diet for all Americans. -
Planning for Annual Expansion
Section 11 of the National School Lunch Act is the requirement that not later than January 1st of each year each State educational agency must submit to USDA a plan of operation which will describe the manner in which the educational agency proposes to use Federal and State funds to furnish a free or reduced price lunch to every needy child in school. Until such a plan has been submitted and approved by USDA, a State cannot receive either Federal funds or donated foods for use in programs. -
Free and Reduced-Price Lunches
Previous legislation and regulations issued by the Secretary of Agriculture had required school district boards and schools to develop policies and criteria with respect to eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. -
Technical Developments in School Food Service
- Engineered Foods: There has been close cooperation with the food industry in research into fortifying and enriching food products which might simplify school feeding in schools which lack space and food preparation facilities.
- Equipment and Service: Constant improvement in food preparation and serving equipment.
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Letter from Wisconsin Principal
This testimonial represents the correlation between adequate nutrition and behavior and ability to learn in school. He stated that it is one of the finest programs initiated at the school. He said attendance improved, children have shown an increase in weight, parent's attitudes have changed because they are directly involved, and it has also created a better home-school relationship.