National School Lunch Week, 2011

Proclamation 8733 of October 7, 2011

National School Lunch Week, 2011

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Children are America's greatest treasure, and ensuring
their health is one of our most important duties as
parents, families, and community members. Our
children's continued ability to learn in the classroom,
grow up healthy, and reach their full potential will
depend on what we do now to secure their future. The
National School Lunch Program has been a central part
of our Nation's commitment to healthy children since
its inception in 1946, improving the nutrition of
generations of children with affordable, nutritious
meals at school. It now serves tens of millions of
children every day.

Despite our successes, too many American children go
without proper nutrition. One-third of children in our
country are overweight or obese, and without a major
change, one-third of children born in the year 2000
will develop Type 2 diabetes during their lifetime.
Schools are central to improving child health, as
children who eat both school breakfast and lunch may
consume more than half their daily calories at school.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 has brought
historic reform to school meal programs. The law takes
new steps to address childhood obesity by setting
nutritional standards for foods sold in schools,
updating requirements for school wellness policies, and
providing more nutritional information to parents. It
also works to eliminate hunger during the school day by
increasing the number of eligible children enrolled in
school meal programs and removing barriers to school
meals for children most in need.

First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative has
worked with schools nationwide to create healthy
opportunities for children. This year, we exceeded our
goal of doubling the number of schools that meet the
HealthierUS School Challenge. We have also engaged
child care providers in adopting healthier practices,
and this year 1.7 million Americans achieved the
Presidential Active Lifestyle Award.

To advance our goals even further, Let's Move! has
collaborated with individuals and organizations across
our Nation to bring over 800 salad bars to schools,
providing thousands of children with greater access to
fruits and vegetables. School nutrition professionals,
chefs, students, parents, and communities have also
used their talents to develop nutritious foods for
schools through the Recipes for Healthy Kids
competition and the Chefs Move to Schools initiative.

Good nutrition at school is an investment in our
children's futures. During National School Lunch Week,
we thank the food program administrators, educators,
parents, and communities who provide for our Nation's
sons and daughters, and we recommit to ensuring all our
children have the healthy food they need to grow and
succeed.

The Congress, by joint resolution of October 9, 1962
(Public Law 87-780), as amended, 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, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week
of October 9 through October 15, 2011, as National
School Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to join
the dedicated individuals who administer the National
School Lunch Program in appropriate activities that
support the health and well-being of our Nation's
children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.