Summer Food Service Program: reimburses schools, non-profits and public entities for meals served to low-income kids in the summer.

Funds for Rural Summer Programs: funds are available to support rural programs that feed kids and engage them in educational activities

School Breakfast Program: reimburses schools for breakfasts served to schoolchildren

After-School Snack Program: reimburses schools, non-profits and public entities for snacks served to children after school

Children's Alliance health insurance outreach

Multi-use Application for schools

Applying for free or low-cost health insurance

Basic Health Program

Renewing health insurance

To learn more about all of the US Department of Agriculture food and nutrition programs visit USDA's website.

Summer Food Service Program
The US Department of Agriculture provides reimbursement to school districts, non-profits, local governments, churches camps and tribes for nutritious meals served to kids in low-income areas during the summer. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) administers the program at the state level.

Hunger doesn't take a vacation. Free summer meals provide kids with nutritious food during the summer months when school meals are not available. This program ensures that kids are ready to learn when school starts in September.

The Children's Alliance works in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to promote and expand the Summer Food Service Program. There are many communities in Washington that are eligible but do not run the program and many children who need free meals in the summer. We work with communities to identify organizations who can run the program and provide technical assistance to get programs up and running. We also provide resources to those who run the program, such as milk coolers, posters and banners.

Funds for Rural Summer Programs: Feed Your Brain
School's Out Washington and the Children's Alliance with generous support from the Discuren Charitable Foundation and the Seattle Foundation, provided $48,000 in Feed Your Brain grants of $1,000-$4,000 to 14 rural summer food sponsors to fund academic activities. For information on how to apply for Feed Your Brain 2003 please email Shelley Curtis or call her at 1-800-854-KIDS, ext 17.

School Breakfast Program
The US Department of Agriculture provides reimbursement to school districts for nutritious breakfasts served to students. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) administers the program at the state level.

Kids who eat breakfast perform better in school, have lower absenteeism rates, are tardy less often, and exhibit less socially disruptive behavior. Eight-four percent of school districts in Washington serve breakfast but there are still more than 20,000 low-income kids who don't have access to the program.

The Children's Alliance works to promote and expand participation in the School Breakfast Program statewide by working with school districts and communities in low-income areas. Posters and materials produced as part of the Alliance's Start Your Head campaign are available to schools free of charge. To order posters, contact Shelley Curtis at 1-800-854-KIDS, ext 17.

After-School Snack Program
The US Department of Agriculture provides reimbursement to school districts and community-based organizations for nutritious snacks served to children in after-school programs. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) administers the program at the state level.

Kids get up to 20% of their daily intake from snacks. Snacks most readily available are high in calories, fat, salt and sugar and low in essential nutrients. Fortunately, federal funds are available for healthy snacks served in after-school programs.

The Children's Alliance promotes the After-School Program to community-based after-school programs who serve children in low-income areas. Two After-School Snack forums were held in 2002 in King and Pierce Counties to provide information and identify eligible programs. More forums are currently being scheduled. We also work in partnership with School's Out Washington to increase awareness of these available funds.

Children's Alliance health insurance outreach
In 2000, the Children's Alliance partnered with the Washington Health Foundation to increase access to state-sponsored health insurance programs through statewide outreach and systems change. Funding for the project is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The main focus of the outreach is to work with with school districts to identify and enroll eligible children in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) using the Multi-Use Application for the Federal Free and Reduced Priced Lunch Program.

For a copy of the most current Children's Alliance newsletter for school-based health activities, please click here.

The Multi-Use Application for schools
School Districts have a unique opportunity to assist families in obtaining information and enrolling in state-sponsored health insurance programs. The Multi-Use Application for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program asks if families would like information on free or low-cost health insurance for their child. There are a variety of ways in which school districts can use this information to help families:

• Conduct outreach with school district staff such as school nurses, family resource coordinators, or other. Schools can obtain partial funding from Medical Assistance for dong this work. For more information please contact Sharon Leonard Reddick at Medical Assistance 1.360.725.4656.



• Connect with local outreach workers throughout the state. To identify an outreach worker in your area please contact Teresa at teresa [at] childrensalliance [dot] org at the Children's Alliance or call 1-800-854-KIDS ext. 21.



• Connect with local outreach projects in your county. To find one near you click here.

Applying for free or low-cost health insurance
To apply for Medicaid or SCHIP, you can:

• Call 1-877-KIDS-NOW and receive assistance in determining eligibility and referrals to local outreach projects or community service offices.



• Or call Department of Social and Health Service (DSHS) call centers at 1-877-950-9131. At the prompt you will be asked to enter your zip code which will connect you with local call center where someone will help you apply on the phone.



• Download an application (available in 7 languages)
  
  Fill out the application and mail it to:
  Department of Social and Health Services
  P.O. Box 45449
  Olympia, WA 98504-5449

Basic Health Program
Some non-citizen families are no longer eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP, but are eligible for the Basic Health Program. For information click here or call 1-800-826-2444.

Providers
To locate a list of Healthy Options or Basic Health providers, click here

Renewing health insurance
The Children's Alliance started a project to assist families in retaining Medicaid and SCHIP. Approximately 25,000 people lose coverage annually due to confusion over renewal. Together with outreach workers and other interested parties, we are strategizing about how to improve the health of Washington's children and families through continued coverage.

For further information on any of these projects please email Liz Arjun at the Children's Alliance or call 1-800-854-KIDS ext. 21.