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News release

TUES 10:30am: Join America’s ToothFairy, Moms & Kids on Capitol Hill in Push for Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization

November 10, 2015

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Kids Dressed as Tooth Fairies to Deliver Wands to Senate Leaders Asking Them to Use Their Powers to End Child Hunger
WASHINGTON, DC- On Tuesday, November 10, MomsRising, America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation and the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) will hold a briefing on Capitol Hill on the eve of Veterans Day to urge action on the reauthorization of the child nutrition programs, which provide critical support to millions of children in the United States, including children of veterans. Speakers will share a petition with more than 25,000 signatures to Congress demanding they stand up for children and pass a child nutrition reauthorization bill that gives more low-income children access to nutritious, healthy food.
 
Advocates from MomsRising and FRAC will be joined by America’s ToothFairy and children dressed in fairy wings to serve as assistant tooth fairies. Following the briefing, moms and assistant tooth fairies will head to Senate offices to deliver petitions and drop off hand-decorated magic wands to help leaders tap into their magic powers to end child hunger.
 
WHAT: 2015 Child Nutrition for a Healthy America Briefing
 
SPEAKERS INCLUDE: 
  • Monifa Bandele, Senior Campaign Director, Food Justice, MomsRising.org
  • Sarah Howard, Veteran and MomsRising Member
  • Fern Ingber, President and CEO, America's ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation
  • Ellen Teller, Director of Government Affairs, FRAC
  • Joyce Raezer, Executive Director, National Military Family Association
 
WHEN: Tuesday, November 10th at 10:30 AM ET
WHERE: U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, SV-215.  Washington DC.  
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Advocates and assistant tooth fairies will form a fairy parade and head to Senate offices to deliver petitions and drop off hand-decorated magic wands.
 
“Congress must take swift action to reauthorize a comprehensive child nutrition bill that provides more low-income children access to nutritious, healthy food. Plain and simple - the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, school meals, and other child nutrition programs are vital lifelines for millions of America’s kids and families,” explained Monifa Bandele, Senior Campaign Director for MomsRising.org. “This is not a moment to play political football —our kids and families just can’t afford it.”
 
“The child nutrition programs are miracles of public policy in that they reduce hunger, improve nutrition, and support learning. With this upcoming reauthorization, Congress has a chance to make these good programs even better and improve their ability to deliver healthy food to children where they live, learn, and play,” explained Ellen Teller, Director of Government Affairs, FRAC.
 
“America’s ToothFairy is proud to support child nutrition programs,” stated Fern Ingber, America’s ToothFairy President and CEO. "Just as severe tooth decay harms a child’s entire body, sustained poor nutrition impedes overall health and quality of life. It is critical we do everything possible to ensure all children have access to healthy foods.”
 
“Child nutrition programs such as WIC and the school lunch program are relied on by many military families,” said Joyce Raezer, Executive Director, National Military Family Association. “We need Congress to reauthorize these vital programs and ensure they are fully funded so our military families get the support they need and deserve.”
 
To connect with speakers, please contact Gretchen Wright or Kim Hayes at 202-371-1999. 
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.