[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 16, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 54071-54072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26771]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 201 / Wednesday, October 16, 1996 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 54071]]


                Proclamation 6938 of October 11, 1996

                
National School Lunch Week, 1996

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                This school year, schools across the country are 
                serving more healthful and more appealing school meals, 
                and school-children are learning to make food choices 
                for a nutritious diet. The National School Lunch 
                Program, which began in 1946, is celebrating its 50th 
                anniversary year with historic changes that will reduce 
                diet-related diseases and improve the health outlook 
                for America's children.

                The 1996-97 school year is the first year that school 
                meals must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 
                under the new School Meals Initiative for Healthy 
                Children. This initiative, created to help schools make 
                necessary improvements, is providing nutrition 
                education for children and training and technical 
                assistance for school food-service professionals. Early 
                reports from pilot communities tell us that we are 
                getting results. Food-service professionals are seeing 
                children eat more fruits and vegetables. With the help 
                of dedicated teachers, they are becoming better 
                educated about what their bodies need.

                Improvements in school meals and nutrition education 
                enhance the health of the 50 million children in the 
                Nation's 94,000 schools--strengthening the safety net 
                for poor children who rely on school meals as their 
                primary source of daily nutrition. Wholesome meals 
                improve our children's ability to learn today and 
                brighten their health outlook for tomorrow.

                These improvements are already a reality at the local 
                level. Team Nutrition Schools--of which there are now 
                more than 14,000--reach 8.1 million children. These 
                schools are community focal points for change, leading 
                the way in bringing together teachers, parents, health 
                professionals, local businesses, and industry leaders 
                to promote nutrition education and to work for more 
                healthful school meals. These schools benefit from the 
                resources made available through an innovative network 
                of public-private partnerships. More than 200 
                organizations are part of an extensive support network 
                that dramatically increases the impact and reach of a 
                relatively small Federal investment.

                Since President Truman signed the National School Lunch 
                Act 50 years ago, the Federal Government and local 
                school food-service professionals have worked in 
                partnership to meet the nutritional needs of America's 
                children. Now, together, they are ushering in an era of 
                historic change and continuous improvement that promise 
                a healthier future for all Americans.

                In recognition of the contributions of the National 
                School Lunch Program to the nutritional well-being of 
                children, the Congress, by joint resolution of October 
                9, 1962 (Public Law No. 87-780), has designated the 
                week beginning the second Sunday in October of each 
                year as ``National School Lunch Week'' and has 
                requested the President to issue a proclamation in 
                observance of that week.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week 
                beginning October 13, 1996, as National School Lunch 
                Week. I call upon all Americans to recognize those

[[Page 54072]]

                individuals whose efforts contribute to the success of 
                the National School Lunch Program and to observe this 
                week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord 
                nineteen hundred and ninety-six, and of the 
                Independence of the United States of America the two 
                hundred and twenty-first.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 96-26771
Filed 10-15-96; 11:32 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P