Currently poor quality, overly processed food products are mandated in most of the schools of our children. If you feel that it's a basic human right to have good quality, real food available in schools, now is the time to advocate those beliefs.
On behalf of a group of concerned citizens, I would like to invite you to participate in a public
potluck on Monday, September 7 in Kansas City, Missouri. I hope you will consider joining us on this important day.
A vast community in the Kansas City Metro area is concerned about the food our children eat at school. In the midst of a national obesity epidemic, our schools struggle to serve anything but the fast food and junk food that endangers children’s health. This year, the Child Nutrition Act, which is the law that determines what 30 million children eat at school every day, is up for reauthorization, providing us with more opportunity to fix this problem. By giving schools the resources to serve real food, we can build a strong foundation for our children’s health. We can teach them healthy habits that will last them through life. We can make a down payment on health care reform. We can do all of this but only if we help our legislators connect the dots and provide community awareness to an issue that people may not think about everyday.
On September 7, a group of Missouri constituents are organizing a public potluck (we call it an “Eat-In”) to demonstrate that the Kansas City Metro area is ready to provide our children with real food at school. This event is just one of hundreds taking place across America as part of the Time for Lunch National Eat-In.
What: Kansas City "Time for Lunch" Eat-In (community potluck)
Date: Labor Day- Monday, September 7, 2009
When: 12 noon- ?
Where: Border Star Montessori School-near the playground
6321 Wornall Road, KCMO
To stick with the ritual of a potluck, please bring a home-cooked dish to contribute to the community lunch feast. We will also have a solar cooker and grill (s?) on site as well. You are also invited to bring reusable utensils, plates, and cups, along with a contagious smile. Please be aware this potluck is NOT exclusive to parents or Missouri constituents, so pass this information on and join us if you live nearby.
At the Eat-In you can call legislators in your district and share with them how you feel in regards to real food in schools, meet local legislators who will be at the Eat-In to show their support, eat good food and mingle with community on a day reserved for relaxation, educate yourself about the Child Nutrition Act and the National School Lunch Program, and perhaps even more.....all while advocating a good cause!
For more information about the campaign, or to learn how you can advocate for and be of service to this cause, please contact Rochelle at 816.392.4546.
If you are affiliated with an environmental organization; teacher's union; youth organization; public health or fitness group; Church or faith group; good food business or restaurant; neighborhood, community or civic group; an organization that works on hunger, food security and social justice;and if you are a teacher, an education advocate, a farmer, an advocate for healthcare reform....... your participation at the actual Eat-In event is welcomed!
Please contact Rochelle at 816.392.4546 to get more info about contributing like-minded efforts through participation.
Feel free to join our planning group on ning.com: http://slowfoodbrookside.ning.com
If you can't join us, here are some other things you can do:
To learn more about Time for Lunch and the National Eat-In on Sept. 7, please check out the campaign web site: http://slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch.
"School lunch isn’t just about the food. It’s also about what food means in culture and communities. A good school lunch program teaches kids that food matters—how it’s produced, what gets done with it, and how it is consumed. These are important lessons that ought to be in every curriculum. "
Marion Nestle, PhD
Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health
New York University, Steinhart School
