Center for Civil Justice receives grant

The Center for Civil Justice (CCJ) is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) to intensify CCJ’s work towards improving access to the federal nutrition programs for children in Michigan. The grant was made possible through the generous support of the Walmart Foundation.

“There are 338,000 children in Michigan living with food insecurity,” Kelly L. Bidelman, CCJ executive director, said.  “CCJ will use these funds to maintain and expand our efforts to increase awareness of and participation in the Community Eligibility Provision, as well as the School Breakfast, Afterschool Meal and Summer Nutrition Programs among schools.”

“The Community Eligibility Provision allows high-poverty schools and local educational agencies to offer free meals to all students while eliminating the traditional school meal application process,” Etienne Melcher Philbin, FRAC’s child nutrition senior policy analyst, explained.

While 91.6% of Michigan schools that offer free and reduced-price school lunches also offer breakfast, many children do not actually consume those breakfasts due to timing and service methodology. Additionally, the Summer and Afterschool Meal Nutrition Programs are underutilized in the state.  The grant will allow CCJ to use its expertise in providing step-by-step, in-person assistance to individual schools or school districts that have an interest in adopting the Community Eligibility Provision or expanding their nutrition programs.
CCJ (http://ccj-mi.org/) is a Flint-based non-profit law firm that advocates for low-income people in Michigan who need help meeting their basic needs. CCJ is an established state leader in anti-hunger advocacy. 

FRAC (http://frac.org/) is a Washington, D.C.-based leading national nonprofit organization working to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the U.S.

––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://www.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available