National School Lunch Week, 2020

Proclamation 10098 of October 9, 2020

National School Lunch Week, 2020

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

During National School Lunch Week, we celebrate our
Nation's commitment to providing nutritious food to
millions of students, and we recognize the many
dedicated food service professionals and administrators
who help carry out this mission. In a typical year, the
National School Lunch Program provides meals to nearly
30 million schoolchildren every day across the country.
These meals enable students in need to eat nutritious
meals, which helps them achieve academic success and
reach their full potential.

The National School Lunch Program succeeds because of
the strong partnerships between the Federal Government
and State governments, food service professionals, and
local school leaders. Our Nation's farmers, ranchers,
and producers are also essential to providing the food
our children eat. Since this program was established in
1946, the collaboration between these key players has
been vital to its success, and their cooperation has
never been more crucial than during this pivotal time
in our Nation's history.

In recent months, it has become increasingly evident
just how many families depend on the meals provided at
school. As thousands of schools transitioned to remote
learning in response to the coronavirus pandemic, I
signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to
ensure schools could continue serving children the
meals they need. My Administration also launched the
innovative public-private partnership ``Meals to You''
which delivered more than 40 million nutritious meals
to children in rural areas while schools were closed.
In the battle with this invisible enemy, resilience and
flexibility have been critical to keeping our children
safe and fed, and we are thankful for the extra efforts
that have been made to achieve this goal.

Throughout the last few months, my Administration has
recognized that our children's well-being depends so
much on their access to schools. I have encouraged all
schools to safely reopen, and we want to ensure that
they are as prepared as ever to provide healthy meals
to all students. In June, my Administration invested in
the health of students by awarding more than $12.1
million--a record amount--in Farm to School Grants.
These funds will help bring clean, fresh, and locally-
grown foods into schools and communities as they
reopen, and will help foster economic opportunity for
America's farmers as we continue our economic comeback.
Additionally, on October 9, my Administration extended
flexibilities and waived requirements to continue
operating the summer meals program and the seamless
summer option at no cost until the end of the school
year. This program allows any child under 18 to get a
free meal at a meal distribution site, and allows
parents and guardians to pick up meals for their
children. We are proud of these measures and others
that we have taken to help ensure that all students
have access to nutritious food.

To emphasize the importance of the National School
Lunch Program, the Congress, by joint resolution of
October 9, 1962 (Public Law 87-780), has designated the
week beginning on the second Sunday in October each
year as ``National School Lunch Week'' and has
requested the President to issue a proclamation in
observance of this week.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim October 11 through
October 17, 2020, as National School Lunch Week. I call
upon all Americans to join the countless individuals
who administer the National School Lunch Program in
activities that support and promote awareness of the
health and well-being of our Nation's children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.