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Action Alert
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Please send in comments to the USDA urging them to allow the use of SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) funding to support obesity prevention efforts. The federal government is currently redesigning the program that provides food assistance to millions of Americans, and we have an opportunity to encourage the USDA to make $130 million available for obesity prevention programs in California.
Comments are due by Tuesday May 31st!
In your letter, note that your comments are in reference to provisions in paragraph (3) (A) of section 241 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which outlines the new Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program. Some recommendations you may want to include in your comments:
- USDA should include policy, systems, and environmental change in its definition of allowable interventions, and promote strategies that increase access to healthy food options.
- SNAP-Ed funds should target communities of greatest need, such as communities of color and those with high rates of poverty, hunger, and obesity, and require the involvement of the SNAP-Ed community through the participation of local coalitions with low-income membership.
- USDA should allow funds to be used to improve access to healthy food and physical activity and to target the entire community, including those not eligible for SNAP-Ed.
- Implementing agencies should award some of the funds competitively and define local governments, universities, and non-profits as eligible to apply for the funds.
- USDA should require evaluation of nutrition education and policy and environmental change.
- USDA should discontinue the rule prohibiting SNAP-Ed funds from being used for education about the negative health effects of certain foods and beverages.
Please email comments by May 31st to:
David Burr, Director
Program Accountability and Administration Division
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
US Department of Agriculture
3101 Park Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22302-1500
SNAP-Ed@fns.usda.gov (electronic submissions preferred)
For more information, see the California Center for Public Health Advocacy’s sample letter. |
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