Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force for Special Nutrition and Commodities Programs
Final Recommendations to the Mayor
March 23, 2004

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Mayor's Blue Ribbon Task Force for Special Nutrition and Commodities Programs

Final Recommendations to the Mayor
March 23, 2004

Final Recommendations to the Mayor of the District of Columbia
Prepared by the Members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Special Nutrition and Commodities Programs:

Co-Chair, Carolyn Graham - Former Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders 
Co-Chair, Robert Egger - President, D.C. Central Kitchen

• Steve Brady - Senior VP/Corporate Communications/Sodexho
• Lynn Brantley - Executive Director, Capital Area Food Bank
• Mildred Brooks - RDLN - Past President of Mayor's Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health
• Clifford Cox - Acting Executive Director, Management Services, D.C. Public Schools
• Dr. Goulda Downer - Chair of Board of Dietetics and Nutrition for the District of Columbia and President METROPLEX Health and Nutrition Services, Inc.
• Crystal Fitzsimons - Senior Policy Analyst, Food Research and Action Center
• Dr. Prema Ganganna - Professor of Nutrition, University of District of Columbia
• Reuben Gist, Capital Area Food Bank
• Hitesh Haria - Acting Operating Officer, D.C. Public Schools
• Donald Hense - Executive Director, Friendship House
• Vernice Hughley - Chief, Accounting Branch, Budget & Finance Division, D.C. Superior Court
• Juliet McCarthy - U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Edward Orzechowski - President and Executive Director, Catholic Charities
• Kimberly Perry - Director, DC Hunger Solutions, FRAC
• Gregory Roberts, Executive Director, DC Children and Youth Investment Trust
• Neil Rodgers - Chief of Staff, D.C. Department of Parks & Recreation
• Peter D. Rosenstein - Non Profit Consultant
• Margaret Siegel - Advisor to Foundations, Washington Grantmakers
• Sabina Taj - Senior Manager/ Grants, Share Our Strength
• Linda Thompson -Consultant, L.L. Thompson & Associates

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Executive Summary

Introduction

The Mayor's Blue Ribbon Task Force for Special Nutrition and Commodities Program was established in October, 2003, with the charge to examine nutrition programs city-wide, and produce recommendations for improved service delivery and expansion, with particular emphasis on the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). As such, the Task Force, co-chaired by Former Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders Carolyn Graham and Robert Egger, Executive Director for DC Central Kitchen, and comprised of service delivery experts, advocates and government officials met every other week and worked in subcommittees concentrating on vision, operations, federal/state policies and finance issues. This report transmits the findings of the Task Force, with particular emphasis on recommended actions for the next three years.

Vision Recommendations

The Vision Subcommittee recommends a program that ensures that in the nation's capital, no man, woman or child will go hungry, and that every individual will have the opportunity to eat nutritious meals seven days a week. The Subcommittee also recommends that the program maximize access to federal nutrition programs, provide comprehensive education on the importance of good nutrition, and develop marketing and outreach programs with a variety of partners. The Subcommittee further recommends specific yearly goals for the next three years in order to develop the blueprint for meeting expanded goals in nutrition programs, implementing and expanding outreach and strengthening and augmenting nutrition programs to increase access and availability. Finally, the subcommittee recommends the immediate re-establishment of the Mayor's Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health and following the establishment of the Commission, that one of the Commission's goals will be to focus on the activities of the Special Nutrition and Commodities Program.

Operations Recommendations

The Operations Subcommittee focused on the specific administration of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), but recommends that a similar focus is placed on all programs within the SNAC portfolio in the future. Goals proposed by the Subcommittee focus on key deliverables, including a timeline, with specific measurables, for preparation, planning and execution of the SFSP with a specific link to, programming. Further, it sets goals for the number of children fed through this program for the next three years that increase systematically such that 100% of low-income children in the District are fed throughout the summer. The first year goal for 2004 is 25,000 children, increasing to 42,000 children in expanded and weekend programs in 2006. The Subcommittee identifies a number of key factors to the success of this program, including consistent, well trained leadership maximizing public facilities as feeding sites, including appropriate resources and efforts, the strategic selection of schools in high need areas, additional funding to keep schools open after programming for feeding, maximize capacity with existing sponsors, and increasing early and ongoing marketing.

Federal/State and Finance Recommendations

The Federal/State and Finance Subcommittee recommends that increased autonomy, with accountability, be provided to SNAC within the host agency. Specifically it is recommended that strict budget controls, defined position descriptions to only include SNAC related work, and increased autonomy and control for the director of SNAC be provided to improve program operations. The Subcommittee further recommends that the city explore ways in which additional funds can be allocated or appropriated to support and enhance the operations of SNAC, particularly funding for outreach and promotion, which will in turn increase participation and therefore reimbursement and administrative funding from the federal government. Additionally, the Subcommittee recommends closer examination of funding sources related to position descriptions, expenditures related to outsourcing and marketing, and responsibility granted to SNAC staff in areas of budget development, expenditures and training. Finally, the Subcommittee recommends the Mayor and Council revisit the legislation that created the SEO to properly identify the significance and responsibility of SNAC within the host agency.

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Background/Context

In 1998, in part due to a series of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) management evaluations and reports, it was determined that the state agency function for Special Nutrition And Commodities (SNAC) program would be separated from the local education agency function in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). In 1999, while they remained physically located in a DCPS site, state and local staff were separated and state staff reported directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of DCPS who reported to the Financial Control Board. In June of 2000, the CFO relinquished responsibility for SNAC and, until the State Education Office (SEO) was formally established, the Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders assumed responsibility for the State program and hired a state director. In February 2001, the Mayor approved the transition plan for the SNAC and it was officially transferred to the newly formed SEO.

During this period of transition 1998- 2000, little was done to support improved management systems and structures or to evaluate the impact of the transition. However, soon after the function was transferred to the SEO, (with support from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families, and Elders), there began an organizational assessment and development process that was designed to identify problems, deficits in systems and structures, and create maximum efficiency of effort while building the necessary infrastructure and capacity to manage and grow programs. Over the past two years, 2001-2003, the SEO has struggled to continue the program while putting management tools and systems in place to support continuous improvement, and address the concerns outlined by the USDA. USDA's concerns about SNAC included persistent understaffing, inadequate program implementation, inconsistent leadership, and inability to fully maximize available resources.

During the same period of time, the SEO continued infrastructure building across the organization and the assumption of additional responsibilities. SNAC experienced challenges with staffing adjustments and changes in leadership that have directly affected the capacity to maximize planning, monitoring, and technical assistance support for all programs particularly the Summer Food Service Program.

Statement of Current Problem related to the Summer Food Service Program

Over the past three years, two large community-based organizations (Friendship House and the Capital Area Food Bank) joined with SNAC to expand available sites for Summer Food Service Program implementation. In both instances, the organizations experienced significant fiscal deficits as a result of disallowed meals. During the same period the DCPS system significantly reduced summer school programming and sites available for use as summer feeding locations. Additional problems have included changes in marketing strategy, planning, and clear communications around roles and expectations. At the same time, the number of children eligible for free and reduced cost lunches has continued to grow. Moreover, numerous parties have expressed concern about operations at SNAC and concerns that significant improvements occur. It is imperative that the SEO work with others to find a way to address the problem of easily accessible sites for those children most in danger of experiencing hunger during the summer when regular school programs are not available. It is equally important that the SEO develop and implement an early strategy for targeting need, identifying the most strategic areas for placement of feeding response; marketing as early as possible and creating a collaborative plan of action that maximizes the potential for responding to the nutritional needs of children during the summer months.

On October 23, 2003, Mayor Anthony A. Williams announced the creation of the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Special Nutrition and Commodities Programs. He charged the task force with providing him recommendations for improved service delivery and expanded nutrition programs city-wide. The co-chairs of the task force are Carolyn Graham, Former Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families, and Elders and Robert Egger, Executive Director of the DC Central Kitchen. The task force membership is comprised of nutrition delivery experts, local charities, District agencies engaged in the provision of services, and community activists.

The general responsibilities of the task force included:

• Analyzing the overall program operations and organization of SNAC and other feeding programs;
• Establishing a citywide vision for nutrition services;
• Examining the nature of the current system, structures, problems and barriers to effective service provision and the federal/state relationship;
• Analyzing where SNAC is in its improvement process; and,
• Identifying and benchmarking the most relevant promising practices from similarly sized cities

This report details the final recommendations of the Task Force, specifically, from three subcommittees; Vision, Operations, and Federal/State and Financial Analysis.

Glossary of terms and programs

CACFP - Child and Adult Care Food Program 
DCPS - District of Columbia Public Schools 
DPR - Department of Parks and Recreation 
NSLP - National School Lunch Program 
SEO - State Education Office 
SFSP - Summer Food Service Program
SNAC - Special Nutrition and Commodities Program 
USDA - United States Department of Agriculture

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Vision

The Vision Subcommittee has been charged with determining what the direction of f Nutrition Services in the District should be. This group looked toward best and/or promising practices in order to accomplish their work.

Recommended Vision

In the nation's capital, no man, woman or child will go hungry. Every individual will have the opportunity to eat nutritious meals seven days a week. There will be long-term sustainability for all nutrition programs that includes creating partnerships and providing continuing education of the entire community.

To accomplish this, the District will ensure that every individual, from pregnant women and infants through seniors, has access to nutritious food in convenient and accessible locations. The District will strengthen efforts to inform people of these opportunities to obtain nutritious food and/or eat nutritious meals through a variety of means, with all materials and information designed in multiple languages and user-friendly formats, to ensure the greatest participation.

The District will maximize access to funding from the federal government to combat hunger through a number of nutrition programs. This wide range of programs includes among others; the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Program, WIC and the Food Stamp Program. All of the government programs, with the exception of the WIC program, are entitlements, and may be available for any child care center or home based center, after school or summer program, public, private or nonprofit or charter school, or eligible household in the case of food stamps. For example, on a school day, a child can receive breakfast, lunch, and a snack and in some cases even supper, which will go a long way in combating childhood hunger. The District must use these available resources as extensively as possible in order to provide a solid framework for combating hunger in the District.

The District will provide comprehensive education on the importance of good nutrition for all ages to increase understanding that proper nutrition is essential for all. It is essential for child development, including learning, health and general well being; for adults to live healthy and productive lives and care for their families; and for seniors to enable them maintain their health and independence as long as possible.

The District will develop advocacy and marketing programs in partnership with the media, business community, schools, senior centers, housing developments, community and recreation centers, non-profit community and faith based agencies, health care providers and literacy programs to develop the broadest and deepest outreach. The District will challenge everyone, irrespective of age, to become advocates for good nutrition and help them to identify friends and neighbors who may be in need of these programs.

Over the next three years the District will:

• develop the blueprint for meeting expanded goals in nutrition programs,
• implement and expand outreach to reach the greatest number of people, and
• strengthen and augment nutrition and commodity programs, thereby increasing access and availability for those eligible and in need of need these services.

YEAR 1

• The Mayor will re-establish the District's Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health, asking the Council for funding if necessary, to ensure that the vision, plans and recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission are carried out. As soon as funding is identified, the Mayor will appoint the Commission members and hire staff in a timely manner. The Mayor will work with the Council to ensure a continuing budget adequate to meet the long-term mandate of the Commission. It is anticipated that the Commission will be fully functional by October 1, 2004. A recommended overview and charge for this Commission is included (Attachment 1).

YEAR 2

Following the re-establishment of the Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health in Year 1, Years 2 and 3 will focus heavily on the activities of the Special Nutrition and Commodities (SNAC) Program.

• The Commission will begin to develop a comprehensive approach to nutrition in the District involving the necessary District and federal government agencies, public, charter, and private schools, nonprofits, and corporations.
• The SEO will work with the Mayor's Office and related public, private and non-profit entities, to develop new, enhanced and targeted marketing programs to reach the largest number of residents. The SEO will set a timeframe for implementing these programs, which will involve community based organizations and the elected leadership in the District in promoting good nutrition.
• SNAC will develop the long-term ability to provide information that is timely, accurate and functional to its constituent sponsors and participants.
• SNAC will establish and nurture cooperative partnerships with community organizations and institutions through shared resources - material, human and financial in its effort to expand participation in all its programs.
• SNAC will identify ways in which to expand linkages between programs, to increase organizational participation in the wide range of programs, and to provide the technical assistance needed to these programs to help them expand their services.
• The SEO will work with appropriate agencies to conduct surveys of children and youth in and outside of school to determine impediments to participation in feeding programs as seen from those who are eligible to participate.
• SNAC will work with DCPS to conduct a feasibility study to determine the cost, impact and potential for providing a universal breakfast and lunch program in targeted schools.
• SNAC will evaluate participation in all the nutrition programs it administers, and develop a comprehensive plan for expanding participation.
• SNAC will begin to report to the commission its progress on a semi-annual basis.
• SNAC will release the updated organization chart for SNAC and detail the staffing and goals and benchmarks that will be used to judge how well the program is functioning.
• The Mayor, Commission and SEO will release a detailed plan, prepared by SNAC, which includes current and planned strategies for ensuring the broadest possible participation in all feeding programs. Included will be the USDA evaluation of program management and suggested corrections so that the public understands how well the program is functioning.
• The SEO, working with the Mayor, the Commission and local advocates, will develop a strategy to add the District to the Lugar Summer Food Pilot and the CACFP after-school supper pilot programs.
• The SEO will work with the public, private and parochial schools to ensure that all schools include mandatory nutrition education in their curriculum.
• The SEO will work with appropriate good nutrition advocacy groups and DCPS to assist schools as they look at developing programs that would limit availability of competitive foods, those in vending machines, particularly during breakfast and lunch hours.
• The Commission, collaborating with appropriate agencies, will release a comprehensive report on all nutrition programs in the District. It will have up to date information on sites, number of meals served and will include both those participating in the federal food programs and those sponsored by other groups not currently participating in the federal programs.

YEAR 3

SNAC will ensure that the highest possible number of eligible individuals is actually participating in the program by having all marketing and organizational programs in place and functioning.

SNAC will demonstrate that all suggested changes in management in previous USDA management evaluations have been implemented.

As the level of additional funds from the DC government to combat hunger in the District increases, the SEO will demonstrate how those funds have worked to increase program participation in all food and nutrition programs.

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Program Management and Operations

The Program Management and Operations Subcommittee was charged with addressing operational issues and organizational placement of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), as well as reviewing implementation, marketing and structural concerns. For purposes of the Task Force, the Subcommittee focused primarily on the Summer Food Service Program in the operational review, but recommends that further focus be placed on all USDA programs administered by the District Government in like manner.

Background

One out of ten District households, due to low-income and inadequate food assistance is hungry or living on the edge of hunger. The Census Bureau ranks the District's hunger rate the 13th worst of the 50 states and territories. Federal Nutrition Programs like school meals and summer food provide nutritious, well-balanced meals to hungry children and adults while generating over one hundred million dollars in federal assistance to families, schools, child care centers and community-based organizations in the District of Columbia.

Working parents, even many with two incomes, are struggling to make ends meet and during the summer they have an additional worry -without access to the regular school year meals programs, will there be enough food during the summer for their children to eat well, or at all?

Fortunately, two federal programs are available to fill this gap: the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) which continues to operate during the summer. In the District of Columbia, the SFSP is vital to the more than 42,000 low-income children who receive free or reduced-price meals throughout the school year. If the SFSP isn't available in their communities, it is likely that they go without proper nutrition during the summer months.

A report released in March 2003 by D.C. Hunger Solutions, a project of the Food Research and Action Center, provided analysis of the Summer Food Service Program in the District for summer of 2002, finding an astounding 40% decrease in participation from the previous summer. Findings also concluded that the total number of sponsors and sites decreased leaving many communities without any summer feeding sites, and that, unfortunately, the District lost more than $580,000 in federal reimbursement by feeding fewer children.

Data provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Special Nutrition and Commodities (SNAC) Office and compiled by D.C. Hunger Solutions, indicate that the SFSP in 2003 provided 971,853 meals to approximately 19,734 children over a 6 week period, an 18% increase in meals, but still missing 22,000 children and doing nothing to address the issue of weekends and the remaining weeks of the summer school vacation.

The goals proposed by this subcommittee increase systematically over the next three years such that 100% of low-income children in the District are fed throughout the summer. We specifically envision:

• Year One (2004): 25,000 children fed two meals Monday through Friday for 10 weeks
• Year Two (2005): 33,000 children fed two meals Monday through Friday for 10 weeks
• Year Three (2006): 42,000 children fed two meals Monday through Friday for 10 weeks as well as 2 weekend meals.

For youth engagement to happen at this level throughout the city there must be valuable programming to attract the kids to the sites where the meals will be served. In the cases of non-school sites, every effort must be made to support these non-profits in providing quality programming. However, it is integral to the success of the summer feeding programs that the mayor insists upon changes to the DCPS summer school planning and implementation. Schools must be selected strategically to maximize services in areas of highest child poverty rates and the District must take every opportunity to provide enriching programs for youth at each of these schools. Finally, a comprehensive marketing communication plan must be implemented.

Recommendations

The Operations subcommittee has set a long-term goal which increases systematically over the next three years to feed every eligible child in the District a USDA approved meal and snack. In summer 2006, it is proposed that SFSP expand to provide two weekend meals to eligible children.

Year One Goals (2004):

1. To feed 25,000 children, 5 days a week for 10 weeks [the Monday after school ends, June 21, 2004 through the Friday before school starts, September 3, 2004] and
2. To lay the groundwork for planning and infrastructure measures necessary to reach the three year goal to feed every eligible child in the District.

The consensus of the subcommittee is that the key success factors for a successful summer program are the following building blocks:

1. The first critical building block is to maximize public schools as feeding sites. The Mayor must achieve maximum capacity of DC Public Schools and summer programs because these programs are magnets that draw children in large enough populations to enable effective summer child nutrition programs. Every DC Public School that is open should not only provide meals to the students that are enrolled in summer school, but make every effort to reach out to all of the eligible children in the neighborhood who desire meals. If a sufficient number of schools aren't open and operating at full capacity then the total number of eligible youth will not be served. In order for this process to occur it is critical that the Mayor assist in coordinating the key departments. The committee found that the systemic issues of budget timing and processes, conflicting priorities, and poor communication between the various key departments inhibit and frustrate the ability to effectively plan in time to have a 'successful summer program.
2. The second critical building block is strategic selection of schools for summer food service. The Mayor must collaborate with DC Public Schools to identify immediately the "high-need" neighborhoods and the schools that serve them. The strategic selection of these schools is crucial to the SFSP process. The list of sites open in 2004 will serve as a starting point in future years. This process requires effective research into the areas of hi poverty. The subcommittee attempted to research high poverty areas, overlaid with public schools in those areas. The feeding capacity of each DC Public School and proposed summer programming for each DC Public School was requested, not received in time to make recommendations. In future years, it would be ideal for DCPS to coordinate with the Mayor's Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health to ensure that food and security needs are served in coordination with their educational programming.
   1. It is our recommendation that, at a minimum, the schools listed in Attachment 2 are open for breakfast and lunch June 21-September 3, 2004. This determination has been made on the basis of location in highest poverty areas ensuring basic coverage of all eligible children.
   2. If any schools listed in Attachment 2 are slated for rehabilitation/construction, an alternative plan should be submitted to the Mayor, by DCPS, April 2004.
3. The third critical step is for the Mayor to secure a budget of approximately $13,000 - $20,000 per school to keep the facilities open in order that youth have access to meals. This money will be used to fund additional operating costs such as security, clean-up, maintenance, and utilities for each identified high-need school during the recommended 10week program duration. The estimated range of $13,000-$20,000 per school cost was provided to the operating subcommittee by DCPS, but this figure should be verified.
4. It is essential that the Mayor effectively manage SNAC's work with current sponsors to identify additional sites, and determine higher capacity.
5. The most important component is the Mayor's commitment to encourage and coordinate early and ongoing marketing communications through multiple media. Review of the DC's successful SFSP program in 1999, when more than 33,000 kids were served, revealed that the key success factor was marketing communication that reached parents and educators. This is consistent with summer feeding program evaluations nationally. Proposed marketing and outreach are: school communication vehicles, busses, TV and radio public service announcements, print media, celebrity & athlete events, flyers distributed at community events, etc.

Additional recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Child Nutrition to Mayor Williams for maximizing the number of eligible children served through the Summer Food Service Program in the District of Columbia are as follows:

1. Assure consistent leadership at the SNAC office. The committee is concerned about the constant change in leadership in the SNAC office. In 2002, the office had four Child Nutrition Directors. This inconsistency affects the SNAC relations with the City Council and other political leadership, and affects the SNAC staff, as well as sponsors and sites. Ultimately it negatively affects the number of children being served throughout the District.
   The Director's role is an important one. She/he is responsible for fiduciary accountability of federal program dollars reimbursed to community feeding programs; motivating and leading the SNAC office staff, building and maintaining relationships with current and potential providers and sponsors in the community and collaborating with the community on ways to expand the programs so that more hungry children have access to well-balanced, nutritious meals. In addition, it is the role of the director to identify the training needs of SNAC staff and community providers and sponsors, which are on the front lines serving meals to children on a daily basis. When there is no clear or consistent leadership, many of these very important responsibilities go unfilled. Children go hungry, needlessly, programs lose the important nutrition dollars that help sustain them, and the City loses important federal dollars that spur the economy. There is no other office or agency that picks up the pieces.
   The Mayor and other elected officials in the City must ensure that - in addition to consistent and effective leadership in the SNAC office - there are appropriate resources available for the agency to do its job efficiently. Resources such as additional staff, timely electronic claims processing, and up-to-date technology are just a few of the items that allow the administration of the program to run more smoothly. From an infrastructure standpoint, funding sources for staffing issues related to position requirements, professional development, performance standards and retention must be examined.
2. Increase technical assistance to struggling sponsors. The Mayor must effectively oversee SNAC's ability to increase its responsiveness to sponsors. It must expand technical and administrative support to those programs which have difficulties running the program. Historically, this component has been the weakest link in the District's SFSP according to sponsors and sites. Since improper implementation of USDA's procedures leads to denial of reimbursements for meals that are served, many programs have lost money by participating in SFSP. Training and on-going assistance is crucial to a program's financial success. SNAC's lack of training and technical support for on-site program staff and sponsors has created a disincentive for many sites and sponsors to participate. This has hurt SFSP both in retaining past sponsors and in recruiting new sponsors. Examples of improvements to training and support are: well-organized site-supervisor training, structured training for sponsors prior to implementing SFSP at sites, ongoing administrative support for sites, centralizing administrative support such that individual sponsors would not be forced to fulfill that role, etc.
3. Assess the gaps in the city and identify locations in which additional summer feeding sites are needed. The subcommittee strongly advises the Mayor to develop a series of maps to evaluate SFSP. If this mapping is completed early enough in the process, coordinated efforts by each of the departments can be focused with maximum efficiency on sponsor and/or site outreach.
   The operations subcommittee determined that the following maps are necessary for proper planning, but while the mapping programs are available, the subcommittee never received maps designed with the following important information:
   1. Maps divided by ward showing concentrations of poverty with all public school sites and parks and recreation sites. The maps should show each site's capacity, level of school, and open/closed status for the previous year.
   2. This series of maps should be compiled each year to lay out the previous summer's status and any new poverty data. This must be completed by January 1 of each year.
      These maps must be the starting point for summer school selection. Currently the SFSP Planning Committee is forced to wait to plan the SFSP services until the summer school selections are made and it seems that these selections are made without a consideration for summer feeding. The Mayor must insist that summer feeding be a priority for DCPS in their planning of summer activities.
4. The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and all other schools - private and Charter - should offer summer feeding at all possible school facilities throughout the city. These sites need to be open throughout the summer months, beginning the Monday after the school year ends until the end of August. Contrary to popular belief, DCPS schools can and should remain open throughout the entire summer as feeding sites, regardless of whether or not a summer school academic schedule is in session.
5. Recruit more non-school sponsors by educating organizations that are providing direct services to low-income youth about SFSP. Community-based nonprofit organizations serving low-income children need to be made aware of and encouraged to participate in SFSP. Many of these small nonprofits face difficulties planning and operating summer feeding sites "out-ofpocket" and yet, they are unaware of available SFSP funding. With training from SNAC so that meal reimbursement is properly administered, organizations that already run summer programs for children can participate in the SFSP and receive reimbursement. Outreach is essential in order to reach potential sponsoring organizations in high need areas. Existing sponsors also should be encouraged to take on additional sites as they become more experienced with the program. The SFSP needs community-based organizations to help fill in the service gaps.
   1. Outreach to new non-school sites (defined as non-profit organizations that are interested in receiving meals from SFSP for the purpose of operating a summer feeding site) should be conducted by the Summer Food Service Program Specialist who reports directly to the Director of the State Education Office.
   2. Outreach to existing sponsors with the ability to increase the number of sites they serve (defined as sites who have participated in the SFSP program for one or more years as the entity which contracts to purchase, prepare, handle and deliver food to programs as well as administer USDA paperwork) should be conducted by the Summer Food Service Program Specialist.
6. Engage in aggressive outreach for SFSP program success. Any organization that advocates for or serves children and families should use all possible resources to provide information on summer feeding sites. This subcommittee estimates that the cost of marketing and outreach, for the Summer Food Service Program only, will be $150,000-$300,000, in addition to the USDA funded marketing plan. This estimate does not include marketing efforts for general summer programming across the City. The Summer Food Program should be included in general marketing messaging for the summer, but needs its own marketing budget to provide clarity of sites, and program purposes. Enlisting corporations and city agencies to assist with this as civic contribution, will greatly affect the cost of outreach and marketing.

• Establishing an SSP hotline where families can locate a nearby feeding site
• Making a list of all feeding sites in the city including times when the programs will be operating
• Using the following forms of marketing and publicity to distribute the aforementioned list and hotline number. (Every effort should be made to make materials bilingual or multilingual where possible):
  • Schools as vehicles to communicate information to parents
  • City bus placards
  • TV and radio public service announcements (PSA's)
  • PSA's in movie theatres
  • Print media public service announcements including publishing the list of sites
  • Celebrity and athlete events where SFSP is endorsed and materials are made readily available
  • Flyers to be distributed at community events
  • Inserts in utility bills - Pepco, Washington Gas, etc.

Conclusion

Each of these components must be in place in time for the others to work. If we want to see real substantive change in the summer feeding programs in the District, the Mayor's Office together with SFSP stakeholders must collaborate to 1) have our schools open where our youth are most in need, 2) get the information directly to the communities so working families know that this is available to them, 3) create new and strengthen old partnerships between the SFSP and the many non-profit programs who serve DC youth, and 4) remove the budget process impediments that inhibit the schools and city agencies from communicating early in the SFSP planning process.

If the Mayor can bring together these elements, the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Child Nutrition emphatically believes that the District of Columbia will see systematic increases in the number of youth served nutritious meals through the SFSP program.

The following is a proposed Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) timeline for 2004. It is based on SFSP best practices from various programs across the country.

January - February 2004

• Blue Ribbon Task Force meets and makes recommendations for SFSP 2004, 2005, 2006.
• Evaluate past year's statistics to determine areas for growth and improvement. For example, the statistics that the subcommittee was provided were: in summer of 2003 there were 19,734 children fed.
  [This should have been done in November, but was begun in January]
• Determine successful components from past year(s) to inform current year's growth. For example, the subcommittee determined that in 1999 (record participation of 33,000 children) that the key success factor was a comprehensive marketing and communications campaign. Therefore, focus for 2004 includes an early and aggressive effort to build awareness of program availability.
  [this should be done in December, but was begun in January]
• SNAC submits Management and Administration Plan to USDA Mid-Atlantic Regional Office.

March 2004

• Create and distribute fact sheet and brochure with information about SFSP participation for recruitment of summer 2004 sponsors and sites. 
  [This should be done in January, but as of March 2, 2004, it has not been completed]
• Identify eligible areas that need additional sites by mapping poverty density with school sites and parks and recreation sites with their feeding capacity and past participation.
  [This should be done by January 1, but as of Marcb 2, 2004, it has not been completed]
• The SNAC makes public its USDA-approved Summer Food Service Program Plan with a timeline and expected deliverables. This is made available to the Mayor's Commission on Food, Nutrition, and Health (or appropriate entity), to the SFSP Planning Committee, and to any interested sponsor or site.
• Application and program materials mailed to potential sponsors upon request.
• Notice of program availability to private non-profit organizations and active recruitment of these partnerships administered by Summer Food Service Program Specialist.
• Schedule and promote the sponsor training. (This training is where sponsors learn the paperwork and other requirements for SFSP and get technical assistance on how to operate the program.)
• Meet with sponsors to discuss their capacity and their willingness to take on additional sites, as well as what sites need to do to sign up with the sponsor.
• SNAC provides first, concise written report on progress towards key milestones. The Task Force strongly believes that this quarterly reporting is vital to keeping summer programs as a priority and for continually evaluating the progress towards attaining the three year goal of feeding all eligible children.

March and April

• Training Sessions conducted for sponsors, food service management companies, health inspectors, and auditors, as needed.

April

• Ask Pepco to include information about SFSP in its June bill. A number of other entities may be willing to include SFSP information in its communication with their customers or clients. For example, food stamp or TANF offices can include SFSP information in their mailings of checks or recertification letters or, in areas that have switched to Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT). Information can be added to the ATM or cash register receipt. Similarly, banks can include information on their monthly statements.
• Work with school PTA's to get information on summer food to parents and make presentations at their spring meetings.
• Work with local movie theaters to have a slide on SFSP shown at the start of movies.
• Work with local newspapers, radio, television, and cable stations to promote the program through a Public Service Announcement, interviews or op-ed pieces.
• Implement other elements of the outreach and marketing campaign as described in these recommendations and as developed in coming months.

May

• The United States Department of Agriculture is proclaiming the week of May 12th as Summer Food Service Program Week. The Proclamation calls upon communities to recognize schools, city agencies and private nonprofit organizations that participate as sponsors the opportunity to promote SFSP. A local official, such as the mayor or a city council member, can make a similar proclamation for the city. USDA's Proclamation will be available on its summer food website www.summerfood.usda.gov as Summer Food Service Program Week approaches.
• Deadline for submission of sponsor applications.
• Develop eye-catching flyers, brochures, and posters that can be distributed or posted throughout the community. Flyers can be handed out and posters can be hung at churches, community and cultural centers, low-income housing common areas, WIC clinics, Food Stamp/Medicaid/TANF offices, job training programs, restaurants, as well as grocery and other stores that have community bulletin boards. Posters also can be displayed on buses and trains, and at bus and train stations.
• Utilize a summer food hotline for families who want to locate the nearest SFSP site. The summer food hotline could have a list of open sites and refer the caller to the closest site.

June

• Application for advance payment request due by eligible approved sponsors.
• Ask elected officials - the Mayor, city council members, and school board members - to include information on SFSP in their regular mailings to their constituents.
• Schedule training for sites that outlines responsibilities and requirements for storing and serving the meals and recording the number of meals that are served (the "meal counts").
• Require schools to send information on SFSP and its locations home with children as the end of the school year approaches. It may be necessary to send the information home multiple times to ensure that parents receive the information.
• Distribute "door-knockers" (flyers hung on door-knobs) throughout neighborhoods.

June 21

• First Day of Summer Food Service Program Feeding
• Press Conference and Kick-off for Summer Feeding Program
• Begin monitoring and providing technical assistance to all sponsors as needed to ensure compliance of regulatory and program requirements.
• SNAC provides second written report on progress towards key milestones

July

• June claim for reimbursement due.

August

• July claim for reimbursement due.
• Administrative review of sponsors covering June & July.

September 3

Last day of Summer Food Service Program feeding

In past years, accountability has been missing for all parties involved in SFSP in the District of Columbia. Beyond making recommendations for 2004, the subcommittee is making recommendations that will lay the foundation for accountability in future years. It is imperative that we shift our thinking from summer feeding being a part-year, fractured project to being a year-round collaboration. It is this subcommittee's recommendation that the Mayor's Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health be instrumental in ensuring collaboration and keeping all parties on track beginning September 2004.

September

• Final administrative review for the summer 2004 program and written report to Blue Ribbon Task Force

September-October

• Mayor's Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health gathers evaluations from sponsors and creates a report of the findings.
• Mayor's Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health convenes stakeholders in a meeting to discuss past year's successes and failures and any lessons learned in order to make course corrections. The commission creates a report of these findings to be used in improving 2005 SFSP.

October

• Summer Food Service Program Planning Committee - Evaluate Summer 2004.

November

• Contact previous sponsors and distribute Intent to Participate Forms for summer 2005.
• Develop strategic plan for 2005 including key milestones, how to stay on track towards the objective of feeding all children 7 days a week in summer of 2006.
• Statistics on 2004 SFSP service gathered into single report and distributed to all parties involved. Report should clearly list meals served and children served by site AND sponsor.
• Evaluate past year's statistics to determine areas for growth and improvement.

December

• Determine successful components from past year(s) to inform current year's growth.
• Develop a fact sheet that includes information on the SFSP and how it operates, how to apply to be a sponsor, number of children in the community receiving free and reduced-price school meals, the number of children participating in SFSP, and the resources SFSP could bring to the community.
• Recruit potential sponsors by meeting with the schools, city agencies, or private non-profits. Some of the large non-profits to consider meeting with include: the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club, United Planning Organization, community centers, faith-based institutions, and others that are serving the children in the City. At the meeting, discussion should center on the need and the benefits of the SFSP.
• Initiate process to create maps to be completed 1/1/05

January 2005

• Distribute fact sheet and brochure with information about SFSP participation for recruitment of summer 2005 sponsors and sites.
• Identify eligible areas that need additional sites by using the maps of poverty density with school sites and parks and recreation sites with their feeding capacity and past participation.
• Work with DCPS to select summer schools by taking SFSP needs into account.

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Federal/State and Financial

The Federal/State and Financial Subcommittee was charged with reviewing the use of SNAC funds and determining ways to best utilize all possible federal nutrition funds. It also reviewed current federal and state level functions to determine how best to maximize usage of federal reimbursement dollars.

Recommendations

SNAC's only reason for existence is to aid the feeding of children through the effective administration of the federal child nutrition programs. It cannot exist without a direct linkage to a local government entity. In this instance, that entity is the SEO. The role of the SEO and local government is to assist with the infrastructure needs of SNAC that cannot be provided through its own means. The transition of SNAC from DCPS to the SEO was done to provide that linkage.

After this cursory review, recommendations of this subcommittee are the following:

Some form of autonomy needs to be established, maintained and monitored. This is to ensure that SNAC has the full and complete control and administrative responsibility over all of its operations, particularly in relation to budgetary concerns and staffing issues.

SNAC must have the sole responsibility for the administration and management of its budget and programs with its director as the recognized spokesperson and contact/conduit for information and reporting: internally and externally, locally and in conjunction with the USDA.

SNAC staff should not perform any work outside of the requirements of the administration and oversight for the programs they oversee; staff paid with funds from SNAC, federal or local matching, should not perform any work or duties relation to the operation of its host organization.

Any staff of the host organization that assists in the operation or workings of SNAC should not be involved with any specific program operation/oversight duties, but rather limited to administrative support.

The city needs to explore ways in which additional funds can be allocated or appropriated to support and enhance the operations of SNAC. Additional resources for outreach and promotion activities can provide the means through which further community partnerships can be established and nurtured. This will also provide a means for additional resources to be shared with the community which could translate into increased levels of participation, meals served and increased federal funding to SNAC.

Additionally, the subcommittee further recommends a closer examination of:

• Funding sources for staffing issues related to position requirements, professional development, performance standards/measurements and retention. Position descriptions, as in certain instances they lack specialized experience requirements.
• Expenditures related to outsourcing, promotion and marketing.
• The areas of responsibility and accountability of SNAC staff relating to budget development, disbursement approvals, training and technical assistance need greater clarification and review.

The issues of autonomy and SNAC independent program management responsibilities are essential. They are key in the process to improve the operations of SNAC and in restoring a sense of trust that has been damaged. USDA Management evaluations, public hearing testimonies, actions, staffing turnover and the review of the CFO report clearly indicate the need for this testimony.

Additionally, it is also clear that the legislation that created the SEO should be revisited. While this legislation provides the necessary linkage and oversight responsibility, it has left the identity and significance of SNAC without clear definition and clarity. Oversight responsibility should belong to the SEO/Mayor's Office, however, budget management, program administration, staffing recruitment/training, technical assistance, and institutional linkage with USDA are the purview of SNAC and its Director. 

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Attachment 1.

MAYOR'S COMMISSION ON FOOD, NUTRITION AND HEALTH

Authority:   Mayor's Order ___-___

Purpose:   To advise the Mayor on the policy, nature and extent of feeding and nutrition programs in D.C., assist in improving food access and nutrition for D.C. residents. This Commission will have authority to request and receive any information pertaining to nutrition programs in the District.

Duties:   Provide oversight and assistance for all nutrition programs; analyze and develop recommendations to strengthen existing programs; serve a major public information and outreach role through the development of baseline data, coordination and information flow; develop recommendations for expansion of programs; coordinate all agencies that support similar programs; identify gaps in funding and services that can be filled under current programs; brainstorm about ways to expand services; oversee existing programs; study and make recommendations to the Mayor on legislation relating to food, nutrition and health, coordinate with Council committees in examining food quality and nutrition programs. The Commission may receive public, donated and grant funds to accomplish these tasks.

Meetings:   Meetings should be held no less than once per month.

Composition:   20 members with representation including residents of each Ward, food and nutrition experts, and representatives from DC Public Schools, Department of Health, Department of Human Services, State Education Office, and the Department of Parks and Recreation. The Commission will be staffed with a minimum of an Executive Director and a Special Assistant.

Compensation:   None, though expenses may be reimbursed.

Term:   Three years

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Attachment 2.

Schools Participating in 2004 Summer Food Service Program as identified by DC Public Schools

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SUMMER 2004 OPEN SCHOOLS
2/26/2004