Proclamation 5257—National School Lunch Day, 1984

Since 1946, the National School Lunch Program has made it possible for our Nation's children to enjoy nutritious, well-balanced, low-cost lunches. Now in its 38th year, the National School Lunch Program stands as an outstanding example of a successful partnership between Federal and State governments and local communities to make food and technical assistance available in an effort to provide a more nutritious diet for students.

The young people of our Nation are our greatest resource. The School Lunch Program demonstrates our commitment to the promotion of the health and well-being of our youth. Under its auspices, over 23 million lunches are served daily in nearly 90,000 schools throughout the country. The success of this effort is largely due to resourceful and creative food service managers and staff working in cooperation with government personnel, parents, teachers, and members of civic groups.

By joint resolution approved October 9, 1962, the Congress designated the week beginning on the second Sunday of October in each year as "National School Lunch Week" and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation of observance of that week.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning October 14, 1984, as National School Lunch Week, and I call upon all Americans to give special and deserved recognition to those people at the State and local level who, through their dedicated and innovative efforts, have made it possible to have a successful school lunch program.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and ninth.

RONALD REAGAN