To feed the children

Without swift action from Congress, children in Arkansas are at risk of losing access to meals this summer and many more next school year.

That’s because critical child nutrition waivers will soon expire, and so far, Congress has failed to authorize USDA to extend them.

These waivers are an important tool that allow schools and community organizations to serve meals in ways that work best for their communities while they grapple with ongoing pandemic-related challenges like supply-chain disruptions, rising food prices and staffing shortages.

But in a few months, meal programs will once again be turned on their heads, forced to transform how they operate; many won’t be able to operate at all.

Without flexibility from the waivers, many schools will be unable to open summer meal sites. Children in rural communities, who already face barriers to accessing summer meals, will be at particular risk when meal providers will no longer be allowed to meet kids where they are by reimagining traditional summer meal service.

School food budgets, already taking a hit from rising food costs, will go deeper into the red because of decreased reimbursements. Schools will also face financial penalties for not meeting federal nutrition requirements if certain products aren’t available due to supply-chain disruptions.

We appreciate all that Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton are doing to ensure schools have the tools they need to feed kids. Together with Congress and the White House, they must continue to work to fix this — the one in four kids in Arkansas that may be struggling with hunger depend upon it.

KATHY WEBB

Little Rock