Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 123.djvu/3739

 123STA T . 3 7 1 9PROCL A M AT I O N84 3 6— OCT. 9 , 2 0 09 Proclam a ti o n8436 o fO cto be r 9,20 09 Nation a lSch ool Lu nch We e k,20 0 9BythePr e sid e n t of the U nited S t a tes of Am eri c a A Proc l amation Every y oungAm er ica n d e s erves access t oa wh o l esome , nutritious lunch .T hese meals p revent hunger and give our children the energy and nourishment they need to grow into healthy, productive adults. S ince 1946, the N ational School L unch P rogram has helped to protect the health and well -b eing o f our children by providing them with bal- anced, low-cost or free lunches throughout the school year. This wee k , we renew our commitment to serving healthy meals that will prepare our ne x t generation of leaders to learn and thrive. The National School Lunch Program serves more than 3 1 million stu- dents every school day at over 1 0 0,000 schools across our Nation. These meals can be an important source of fruits, vegetables, and low- fat dairy products, containing essential nutrients to meet the demands of a growing child. F or many schoolchildren, it will be their most nu- tritious meal — sometimes their only meal—of the day. This program can also teach children about the importance of good eating habits, which is vital to our Nation ’ s fight against childhood obesity. I n the coming months, my Administration will continue our partnership with Federal, State, and local leaders to strengthen the National School Lunch Program. W e must work together to remove barriers that prevent some eligible children from receiving meals, and update nutrition standards to reflect the latest D ietary G uidelines for Americans. Academic success re q uires hard work and concentration. Students dis- tracted by hunger cannot match the focus of their peers. Poorly nour- ished students are also more likely to become ill, and miss class more frequently. During National School Lunch Week, we honor all those who make the National School Lunch Program possible, including gov- ernment and school officials, food service professionals, farmers, and parents. B y ensuring that every child, regardless of background or fam- ily income, is properly fed at school, we secure a brighter future for each of them and for America. The C ongress, by j oint resolution of O ctober 9, 196 2( Public Law 87– 780 ) , as amended, has designated the week beginning on the second Sunday in October each year as ‘ ‘National School Lunch Week,’’ and has requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week. NOW, T H E R EFORE, I, BARAC K OBA M A, President of the U nited States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of October 11 through October 17, 2009, as National School Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to join the dedicated individuals who administer the Na- tional School Lunch Program in appropriate activities that support the health and well-being of our Nation’s children. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Inde-