LAUSD Food Services Division: Who we are and How we can work together Provided by the LAUSD Food Services Division

W HO W E A RE : MISSION: Nourishing Children to Achieve Excellence The Food Services Division is a group of over 4,000 professionals that strive to deliver high quality nutritious meals to students of all age groups and are consistently trained in: State and Federal Requirements Meal Programs and Application processes New Culinary Techniques Customer Service Safe Food Handling Safe Work Environments Technology Advancements Professional Standards

M EAL P ROGRAMS O FFERED School Breakfast Program (SBP) Breakfast in the Classroom Grab ‘n Go Nutrition National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Child & Adult Care Feeding Programs (CACFP) Early Education Center (EEC) At Risk After School Supper Program After School Snack Programs Summer Food Services Program (SFSP)

Children not eating throughout the day cannot learn: Show increased errors and slower memory recall Behavioral emotional and academic problems are more prevalent Eating good nutritious meals throughout the day: Supplies energy your body utilizes as fuel for daily activities Increases children's focus to be fully engaged in activities Perform better on standardized tests Students who eat school meals are more likely to be at a healthy weight, eat more fruits and vegetables and get more calcium and key vitamins Keeps children from going hungry Many families struggle financially and qualify for free or reduced priced meals P URPOSE AND B ENEFITS OF M EAL P ROGRAMS

F OOD AND N UTRITION R EACH Largest School Breakfast and 2nd largest School Lunch Program – We serve more than 750,000 student meals a day – We serve more than 134 million student meals annually We serve breakfast and lunch to more than 715 schools, 85 Early Education Centers and 100+ School Programs – On site preparation at 532 sites – Newman Nutrition Center provides for 245 sites We provide more than 72,000 supper meals daily We provide more than 1 million meals during the summer Over 490 HealthierUS School Challenge winners! Over 25 organizations participating in our Food Donation Program California Thursdays Launching the “Save it for Later” campaign in 2016! 5

C HALLENGES T ODAY #1 United States is #1 in Obesity Epidemic of Childhood Obesity United States is raising a generation of children who may live sicker, shorter lives than their parents. Note: Today, obesity is one of the most common disqualifiers for military service.

“After increasing steadily from 18.9% in 1999 to 23.3% in 2005, the most recent data show that the percentage of obese children in LAC has stabilized over the last 2 years. Additional factors contributing…the Los Angeles Unified School District [has] already made major changes in school nutrition policies and programs, such as banning sales of unhealthy beverages like sodas on campus, and implementing improved food and beverage nutrition standards.” - L.A. Health Trends, July 2008 County of Los Angeles, Department of Health Services

LAUSD N UTRITION P OLICY Adopted December 2012 Combined all board policies under one – Obesity Prevention Motion – Healthy Beverage Motion – Cafeteria Reform Motion Setting the nutrition standards at higher levels than USDA regulations – Meet the requirements of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 More fresh fruits and vegetables More whole grains – No flavored milk Action Steps of the Policy – Increase student access to meals Locally sourced After the bell Breakfast program – Improving student appeal and perception of the meal program Menu committee – Connecting nutrition education with the cafeteria

LAUSD G OOD F OOD P ROCUREMENT P OLICY Passed November 2012 and reinforced November 2014 LAUSD commits to the Good Food Purchasing Pledge to improve our region’s food system through the adoption and implementation of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC) Good Food Purchasing Guidelines – Local Economies – Environmental sustainability – Valued workforce – Animal Welfare – Nutritional Only school district committed

O PPORTUNITIES Know the regulations – USDA – CDE Smarter Snacks in Schools (Competitive Foods) – District Policies Know what is happening in your schools – What programs are offered? What do you want to see? – How much time is provided for lunch? Support your school programs

W ORKING T OGETHER Visit cafeterias and let us know how we are doing Join the Blueprint for Wellness Committee – Submit recommendations and suggestions Join your school’s Safe School (Wellness) committee Join us at Board meetings – Help us engage students – Encourage Students to submit concerns regarding their meal program: – Create a School Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC) group Engage your community

Q UESTIONS ? Contact Information: Laura Benavidez Interim Co-Director of Food Services Timikel Sharpe Interim Co-Director of Food Services LAUSD – Food Services Division (213)