Conference Title Name Date

Overview Purpose How to Conduct a Visit Checklist to Plan Your Own Today, we’re going to talk with you about the Cafeteria Site Visit. We’ll go over the purpose of a Cafeteria Site Visit, the basics on How to Conduct a Visit, and a checklist to Plan Your Own Visit. You can follow along with this presentation with your Cafeteria Site Visit 101 document. This document was created by SNA to help you connect with the lawmakers in your community.

Purpose of Site Visit Meet with your member of Congress/staff Convey message Firsthand look Your expertize A cafeteria site visit is a great way to meet with your Member of Congress or their congressional staff and convey a message to them on a specific issue or legislative matter. Cafeteria site visits are more effective than a simple meeting, as they give your Congress person a firsthand look at how school nutrition programs operate and they help you demonstrate your expertise and knowledge by providing them with a snapshot of what you do on a daily basis. A site visit can show your Congress person how the school nutrition programs work, how many children you feed, the size of your school district, and any concerns that you may have with the programs in general in a really tangible way.

You are a resource! The thing to remember when planning your event, is that you are a most valuable resource to your Congress members. Most members are not experts on school nutrition issues and they look to experienced professionals for guidance– that’s where you come in.

Planning Your Visit What message do you want to convey? What would best convey it? There are many factors to consider when planning your visit. You should think about the message you are trying to convey and what would convey that best. Here are a few things to think about: How would identify need? Visit a school with a high or low percent of student’s eligible for free or reduced-price meals How would you promote the need for new serving lines in all schools? Showcase new serving lines that increased participation or increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, or whole-grain products How would you promote breakfast? Visit a school with high participation in the breakfast program or with alternative serving methods, such as breakfast in the classroom Showcase nutrition education activities and how the cafeteria is used as a classroom to teach students about proper nutrition Showcase improved food offerings, such as increase in fresh fruits or veggies or Farm-to-School foods Highlight the success of a Fresh Fruit and Veggies program Discuss the quality of the commodity foods used in your nutrition program Discuss the importance of National School Lunch Week and National School Breakfast Week play in the educational process. Invite the Member to join in any coordinated promotional activities.

Making an Appointment Determine representative Aide who handles SN You’re a Constituent! Don’t forget your purpose. Once you know the purpose of the visit and what you’d like to ideally convey, now you’re ready to make an appointment. First, you’ll need to determine which member of the US House of Representatives represents your district and then contact his/her District office or the Washington, DC office. Be sure to ask to speak with the aide who handles school nutrition or child nutrition programs. Also, don’t forget to mention that you live in the Representative’s district and you are a constituent. You’ll also want to explain that you’d like to meet with the Congress member or staff and provide a site visit. You’ll probably be asked to submit your request in writing. Schedules book up quickly! So be sure to give yourself plenty of time.

Recess is a great time! To increase your odds of success, it is recommended that you arrange a time during a scheduled Congressional district work period or recess. Most district work periods are scheduled around the federal government’s holiday schedule. A calendar listing this information can be obtained at the Member’s district office, or at the SNA website.

Time of Visit When arranging the cafeteria site visit, aim for a time when the children are being served their meals and build the visit around this. Remember, the purpose of the site visit is to see the programs in action!

Don’t forget the media! In addition, it is also important to extend an invitation to your local media folks to cover the event. Not only can the local newspaper provide coverage for the Member, your school can also be highlighted in the local news! If you are successful in getting a member of the press to attend, make sure to have a location identified for a photo with the member and the kids.

Be Prepared Agenda Welcoming Committee Leave time for questions! It is important to have an agenda to compliment the timeframe of the visit. Take some time to develop what you want to showcase and highlight. Remember this is your time to shine! Have a welcoming committee meet the member at the front of the school and have materials specific to your school on hand for the visit.

Take-Away Packet Size of school district # of meals served daily Lunch &breakfast programs Impact on local economy Special events Contact info Create a take-away packet for your visitor to take with them. Materials in the packet could include: Size of your school district Numbers of meals served on a daily basis Background information on the lunch and breakfast programs Background information on the impact of your SN program on the local economy- jobs created and support to the local economy Any special events that are unique to your school addressing healthy eating, such as nutrition education programs Contact information on who participated on behalf of the nutrition staff

Don’t Forget to be Political Members of Congress want to represent the best interests of their district or state. In some instances, a member may lack important details about certain matters. It is therefore helpful to share with the Member information and examples that demonstrate clearly the impact or benefits associated with a particular issue. Remember this is a good time to share any concerns that you may have. For example, are there issues that are making it difficult to operate your program? Whenever possible, demonstrate the connection between what you are experiencing and suggestions or recommendations which would make the programs work more effectively. If appropriate, seek a commitment from the member for their support for child nutrition programs.

Be Responsive Answer questions Offer additional information Thank you letter Offer your expertize Be prepared to answer questions or provide additional information in the event the Member expresses interest or ask questions. Follow up the meeting with a thank you letter. The note could outline what was discussed during the site visit, and send along any additional information and materials that may have been requested.

On the last two pages of the Cafeteria Site Visit 101 document, you’ll find a great checklist to help you plan your own site visit step by step. You’ll find tips to schedule your cafeteria site visit.

You’ll also find tips for the planning of the site visit. Just like when you have company at home coming over, be sure to clean up the cafeteria before your congressman and the media show up. Your cafeteria should be spotless! Also, be sure to consider the menu you’ll be serving the day of the visit. While baked chicken nuggets might be healthy, they won’t necessarily look healthy. It could be best to go with baked chicken, for instance. Also, make sure your veggies are looking fresh.

Along with what to do day of and after the site visit Along with what to do day of and after the site visit. This checklist is a great way to stay on track and remember the details.

Wrap-Up Know the Purpose Schedule Effectively Be: Prepared Political Responsive

Q+A