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Get The Facts

Download the brochure (PDF, 3MB) which explains how together we will end childhood hunger.

Or for more details, download the complete Plan To End Childhood Hunger in the Nation's Capital (PDF, 6.56MB).

The Ten-Part Plan

  1. Providing all District children a healthy breakfast
  2. Encouraging healthy food choices
  3. Helping families meet needs at home with food stamps
  4. Improving working families' economic security
  5. Increasing families' access to fresh produce
  6. Helping after-school programs provide healthy meals and snacks
  7. Expanding reach of summer meals programs
  8. Ensuring access to balanced, nutritious diets for all pregnant women and preschool children
  9. Ensuring access to nutritious food in shelters and food pantries
  10. Providing comprehensive public education about available assistance

10-Year Goal:

All District of Columbia families will have the knowledge, skills and motivation to make healthy food choices.

The Plan to End Childhood Hunger

Encourage healthy food choices

An increase in obesity and related health concerns make nutrition education a critical issue for everyone in the District of Columbia. An increase in obesity and related health concerns make nutrition education a critical issue for everyone in the District of Columbia. But better nutrition education doesn’t just fi ght obesity, it helps end hunger as well – giving parents the tools they need to get the greatest nutritional value out of their limited resources. Nutrition education classes that teach families the basics about healthy foods and how to prepare them at home have been shown to help families with limited incomes make the most of what they’ve got.

There are approximately 19,500 low-income District residents currently receiving some nutrition education services... but there are more than 50,000 other families who would benefi t from them. We’ll work to expand the availability of community-based education classes like those offered through Share Our Strength’s nutrition education program, Operation Frontline®, and through the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC), which focuses on reaching target groups like pregnant women and parents of kids younger than fi ve. Additionally, we will work with D.C. Action for Healthy Kids schools to bring greater nutrition education into the school curriculum at every level.

Two-Year Action Plan

  • Expand the number of nutrition classes through community service agencies.
  • Work with the Board of Education, parents and school staff to integrate nutrition education opportunities into the new wellness policy.
  • Launch social marketing campaigns highlighting good nutrition.

Action Steps

  • Increase participation among elementary school children.
  • Increase participation among middle and high school children.
  • Increase participation rate for charter schools.

Measures of Success

  • Number / % of District school children participating in free breakfast program.
  • Number / % of elementary school children participating in free breakfast program.
  • Number / % of middle & high school children participating in free breakfast program.
  • Number / % of District charter schools offering free breakfast program.
  • % change in absenteeism, missed days of schools, morning visits to school nurses, standardized test scores