Proclamation 6185—National School Lunch Week, 1990

Established less than half a century ago, the National School Lunch Program has become the mainstay of the United States' Child Nutrition programs. The National School Lunch Act of 1946 underscored the depth of our concern for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. It also declared it to be our policy "as a measure of national security, to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation's children and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other food."

When he signed the National School Lunch Act on June 4, 1946, President Truman observed that, "in the long view, no nation is any healthier than its children or more prosperous than its farmers." By promoting good nutrition among our Nation's schoolchildren, as well as the purchase and distribution of U.S. agricultural products, the National School Lunch Act has benefitted not only America's youth and farmers but also the entire country.

Since its enactment, the National School Lunch Program has been expanded to include the School Breakfast Program. Legislation has also been enacted to provide free meals to children from families with very low incomes. Today the National School Lunch Program serves appetizing and nutritious meals to more than 23 million children in over 91,000 schools. Recognizing the importance of a good breakfast to learning, nearly half of these institutions also participate in the School Breakfast Program and provide nutritious morning meals to nearly 4 million children each day. Over 80 percent of these children receive breakfast without charge because they are from families with low incomes.

The School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs not only encourage participating students to develop healthy eating habits, but also help to ensure that children come to class ready and able to learn. By providing the Nation's schoolchildren with nutritious meals, these valuable programs help to ensure that they have the energy, stamina, and good health needed to remain eager and attentive students. In so doing, these programs strengthen the educational process.

During National School Lunch Week, we pay due recognition to the many concerned Americans who devote their time and skill to providing children around the country with good nutrition at school. These individuals include Federal and State officials, food service professionals, school administrators, teachers, parents, local civic leaders, and many volunteers. Their generous cooperative efforts are a wonderful example of a successful partnership among Federal and State governments and local communities.

By joint resolution approved October 9, 1962 (Public Law 87-780), the Congress designated the week beginning on the second Sunday of October in each year as "National School Lunch Week" and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of that week.

Now, Therefore, I, George Bush, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning October 14, 1990, as National School Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to recognize those dedicated and hardworking individuals who contribute to the success of the School Lunch Program.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth.

GEORGE BUSH