STEP-BY-STEP PLAN TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN MT

Step 1 Includes: 

• Increasing the % of students participating in School Breakfast Programs 

• Offering expanded breakfast programs such as Breakfast in the Classroom, Grab-N-Go, and Universal Free Breakfast

• Increasing understanding of schools' reasons for not participating in the Community Eligibility Program

• Addressing challenges to ensure all schools who are eligible to participate in the Community Eligibility Program do

• Maximizing participation in the National School Lunch Program

• Increasing the % of schools offering Universal Free Lunch

• Increasing the capacity of schools to continue to provide school breakfast and lunch

• Increasing the number of qualifying elementary schools participating in the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program

• Expanding school wellness policies to include nutrient-dense foods

Step 2 Includes:

• Increasing the number of schools offering backpack programs

• Expanding the number of schools with school pantries

• Increasing access to nutrient-dense food on "the fifth day" for children in 4-Day Schools

• Growing the capacity of 4-Day Schools and communities to provide nutrition to kids on the fifth day

• Highlighting best practices from schools providing afterschool snacks and supper

• Supporting expansion of the Summer Meal Program and Summer EBT to the 13 Montana counties without these programs

• Increasing the amount of training school food service directors receive about out-of-school programs

Step 3 Includes:

• Addressing stigma in Montana to maximize participation in SNAP and WIC programs

• Increasing awareness of SNAP and WIC

• Growing the number of doctors conducting food insecurity screenings with their patience and proving a warm hand-off to SNAP and WIC

• Increasing awareness of TEFAP and number of sites participating in TEFAP

• Increasing awareness of the Commodity Foods Assistance Program and maximizing participation

• Increasing the number of sites, such as farmers markets, and producers accepting WIC, SNAP, and Double SNAP Dollars

• Increasing the number of Prescription Produce and similar programs in the state

• Working for the inclusion of medically appropriate meals and nutrition counselling in Medicaid and other programs

• Addressing the impact of the Benefits Cliff in Montana

Step 4 Includes:

• Addressing access and distribution challenges that impair community members' access to affordable, nutrient-dense, foods grown and produced in Montana

• Understanding the reasons Montana schools choose not to participate in USDA's Farm to School program

• Addressing these reasons to expand participation in the Farm to School program

• Providing training around sourcing foods grown and produced in Montana

• Increasing the number of schools sourcing a variety of foods grown and produced in Montana

• Continuing to support and grow the number of Farm to Foodbank Programs in Montana

• Expand distribution as needed among emergency food providers, farmers, ranchers, food producers and others to ensure ability to meet Montanans' needs at all times.

Step 5 Includes:

• Working with community groups to promote breastfeeding

• Increasing the number of public worksites aware of and observing the Federal Breaktime for Nursing Mothers Act

• Increasing the number of WIC participants who have a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

• Measuring and expanding the number of birthing hospitals designated and/or enrolled in the Baby-Friendly Certification Process

Step 6 Includes:

• Increasing capacity of schools to provide culturally relevant foods by providing trainings, sourcing options, and addressing other related needs

• Growing access to culturally relevant foods through schools

• Increasing access to culturally relevant foods during out-of-school time 

• Increasing access to culturally relevant foods through emergency food programs

• Expanding inclusion of culturally relevant foods in Produce Prescription and nutrition-incentive programs

• Including food and nutrition in cultural-education programs such as Montana Indian Education for All

Step 7 Includes:

• Increasing participation in Harvest of the Month

• Increasing the number and utilization of SNAP-ED and Expanded Food and Nutrition Program instructors

• Expanding number of schools including nutrition-education through their school wellness programs

• Increasing nutrition education around the use of culturally relevant foods

• Supporting policy-, systems-, and environmental-change-projects to improve consumer knowledge around smart food choices 

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Step 8 Includes:

• Reducing stigma around food assistance by shifting poverty-centric narratives to more relevant narrative about all Montanans' need for nutrition security

• Normalizing access to nutrient-dense foods for all Montanans 

• Mainstreaming knowledge that nutrition quality affects the mental health and physical health of all Montanans

• Mainstreaming the knowledge that low-quality nutrition contributes to the most common diseases and causes of poor mental health and death of all Montanans regardless of education, income, ethnicity, social status, economic status, or community location

• Increasing the number of health providers using nutrition narratives and nutrition practices to improve the health of all Montanans

• Supporting the inclusion of RDs in medical practices and school health programs

• Providing nutrition training for community health workers and others working to create healthy Montana communities

Step 9 Includes:

• Increasing support for Tribal food sovereignty efforts

• Increasing support for Montana efforts to ensure  community food systems are resilient and can provide food to all community members when national and regional food distribution systems break down

• Facilitating food literacy throughout Montana by supporting education around the impacts of food choice on the jobs, the environment, and individual health and wellbeing

• Increasing lived-expert engagement with the general public, educators, lawmakers, media, schoolboards, and other policy makers

• Advocating for local, state, regional, and federal policy that strengthens the resilience of community food systems in Montana