Direct certification simplifies the process of certifying certain children for free school meals by eliminating the need for households to apply. The 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act required all local educations agencies (LEAs) to establish a system of direct certification by...

This report contains the initial findings of the committee charged with identifying the nutrients and food groups that should be given priority attention when changes are recommended in WIC food packages. The committee recommends that vegetables, fruits, and dairy products be given priority. The...

Using 2005 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment survey, this study examines the contribution of school meals to the food and nutrient intake of children in food-secure, marginally secure, and food-insecure households. The study finds that...

From 2000 to 2008, the average number of Food Stamp Program (FSP) participants rose by 65 percent because of increases in eligibility and participation. These changes occurred during a period that included declining national unemployment—the same period during which states were being...

Examines how well the Food Stamp Program serves nonmetropolitan households. Argues that the program is at least as successful in serving low-income rural households as urban households, that participation rates are higher in rural areas, and that recent declines in participation rates have...

This report provides information on the participation patterns of infants and children who were enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) from 2001 through 2003. Several aspects of participation were examined including at what age and under...

This article estimates the effect of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on children’s food security using data from the largest national survey of food security of SNAP participants to date. The study found children in households that had participated in SNAP for 6 months...