People in Chicago, and all around the country, will be potlucking on Labor Day to promote healthy school lunches.
Folks are getting together for lunch Monday in support of the Child Nutrition Act, the bill that governs the National School Lunch Program, up for reauthorization in Congress this fall. By passing a Child Nutrition Act that works for children, the country can take the first step towards a future where no child is denied his or her right to be healthy and where every child enjoys real food, according to the group Slow Food USA.
Slow Food USA wants schools to serve food raised from healthy plants and animals that is
nutritious food and as good for the planet as it is for bodies. The group is for food grown and harvested with methods that have a positive impact on local ecosystems and biodiversity.
“Together, we are publicly rejecting the notion that our schools can’t afford to feed kids anything but the bad food that makes them sick. And the way we’re making this statement is by bringing neighbors together in the spirit of good will and for the joy of sharing good food,” the organization says on its web site.
There are 296 Labor day potlucks taking place in cities and towns across America.This is the first National Day of Action that Slow Food USA has organized, and thought-leaders in the food movement say that’s a significant milestone. Last week, Michael Pollan joined Slow Food USA president Josh Viertel on a conference call with chapter leaders and Eat-In organizers.
In the last few decades, as school budgets have been cut, our nation's schools have struggled to serve children the real food they need. At the same time, Slow Food USA says, the need for real school food has never been greater.
Today, one in four children is overweight or obese, and one in three will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime. In the face of this crisis, our schools are financially struggling to feed children anything but the overly processed fast food that endangers their health. For many children, school lunch is their only guaranteed meal of the day. Right now, those children are forced to choose between going hungry and being unhealthy.
The deadline for reauthorizing the current Child Nutrition Act is September 2009. Unless we speak up this summer, “business as usual” on Capitol Hill will let Congress pass a Child Nutrition Act that continues to fail our children.
Here's where they're having potlucks in Illinois:
Chicago, IL
Waters School Eat-In
September 7, 2009
4540 N Campbell Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60625
Organizer: Pete Leki, Lynn Peemoeller, Slow Food Chicago
Email: Lpeemoeller@gmail.comView Details
Deerfield, IL
Whole Foods Eat-In
September 7, 2009
760 Waukegan Road
Deerfield, Illinois 60015
Organizer: Perri Kramer
Email: Perri.Kramer@wholefoods.comView Details
Elburn, IL Eat-In
September 7, 2009
Heritage Prairie Market 2N308 Brundige Rd
Elburn, Illinois 60119
Organizer: Cara Newkirk, Slow Food City's Edge
Email: info@slowfoodcitysedge.orgPhone: 630-397-9434
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