Afterschool Suppers and Snacks
D.C. now has afterschool suppers !
Locate data and resources.
...bridge the hunger gap between lunch and dinner for children who participate in afterschool programs by providing federal funds to community- and faith-based groups, schools, and public recreation centers so they can serve nutritious snacks and meals. Children of low-income families need nutritional support outside of school hours, when many parents must work long hours at multiple jobs to make ends meet. By serving nutritious snacks and meals, afterschool programs use food to draw children into neighborhood programs that keep them safe and engaged.
What's happening with afterschool nutrition programs in D.C.?
Report Released on Afterschool Meals in D.C.
Successes, Key Strategies and Recommendations - The D.C. Public School Experience in Rolling Out the Afterschool Meal Program at 100 Schools (pdf) highlights participation rates, winning strategies, and recommendations of D.C.'s Afterschool Meals Program; 9,240 students on average each day participated in the program during the 2010–2011 school year.
D.C. Now Has Afterschool Suppers!
The District of Columbia has been added to National Afterschool Meal Program - which means thousands of low-income D.C. children will benefit from expanded access to healthy meals. Find out more on our Afterschool Suppers page.
Easier applications
In 2006, D.C. Hunger Solutions worked with the city agency that operates the District’s afterschool nutrition programs to streamline the application process, including reducing the application length from 72 pages to 12.
D.C. Hunger Solutions can help by:
- providing outreach materials to inform your network about the afterschool nutrition programs;
- giving presentations to your network about the benefits and how to participate in the afterschool nutrition programs;
- assisting you in completing the application to enroll in an afterschool nutrition program;
- providing afterschool programs with information on nutrition programs, including our series of four lessons on healthy snacking;
- recruiting new program sponsors that serve as fiscal intermediaries between one or more sites and the city; and
- advocating for inclusion of afterschool nutrition programs in city-wide afterschool advocacy efforts.
Help us spread the word:
- Distribute our afterschool nutrition brochure. (pdf)
- Learn more by downloading the issue brief: Afterschool Nutrition in Washington, D.C. - An Overview of the District’s Accomplishments and Opportunities for Growth (pdf)
- Read about afterschool nutrition programs at the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education Web site.
- Contact us if your organization would be interested in serving afterschool snacks or suppers, particularly if you are a D.C Free Summer Meals site that also runs an afterschool program during the school year.
