Afterschool Suppers, a 'Game Changer'

Afterschool suppers are a game-changer for reducing childhood hunger and drawing children into afterschool enrichment programs.One of the most effective ways to increase participation in afterschool suppers is to ensure that there are more programs that offer afterschool activities to the children who need them, and that those programs provide suppers. Jim Weill, president, Food Research & Action Center.

Cover photo for report

Last month, the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) published the report Afterschool Suppers: A Snapshot of Participation. This is FRAC’s first-ever report on participation data in the Afterschool Nutrition Programs, which play a key role in reducing hunger and supporting quality afterschool enrichment programs.

This excerpt from the introduction to the report offers more background.

"Federally funded afterschool snacks have been available broadly since 1998. However, afterschool suppers are a relatively new option that only became available nationwide through the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 2010. Federally funded afterschool suppers can be a game-changer for reducing childhood hunger in low-income communities and supporting the establishment and growth of afterschool enrichment programs. Children from struggling families can receive a healthy late afternoon or evening meal, instead of returning home hungry from their afterschool program, often to empty cupboards.

In October 2016, nearly 1.1 million children received an afterschool supper. Average daily participation grew from about 200,000 children in October 2011.

Reaching more than 1 million children in the sixth year after the national rollout has been an important accomplishment. But much more needs to be done; and yet, as this report shows, the pace of growth slowed in 2016. Through 2015, participation had been growing at a much faster rate; approximately 200,000 additional children were being served each October compared to the year before. In October 2016, however, the increase was one-quarter of what it had been — about 48,000 additional children.

The Data
The report measures the reach of the Afterschool Supper Program, funded through the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Afterschool Snack Programs, funded through CACFP and the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

The findings focus on participation in October 2016 and in comparison to October 2015, nationally and in each state. Based on a variety of metrics, this report examines the impacts of trends and policies on program participation.

See Full Report 

How did FRAC arrive at the figures for school suppers used in the report? Here is the formula:

1. For each state, FRAC calculated the average daily number of children receiving afterschool supper in October for every 100 children receiving free or reduced-price NSLP lunches in the same month. 
2. FRAC then calculated the number of additional children who would be reached if that state achieved a 15-to-100 ratio of afterschool supper participation to free and reduced-price lunch participation. 
3. FRAC then multiplied this unserved population by the afterschool supper reimbursement rate, and multiplied this total by the national average number of NSLP serving days in October. 
4. FRAC assumed each supper is reimbursed at the standard rate for school year 2016–2017: $3.16. Reimbursement estimates do not include the value of commodities, or cash-in-lieu of commodities, which are also provided to sponsors.

Here is data for New Mexico in one category that FRAC measured. There are five other tables, which you can access by viewing the report.

Table 1
Measures average daily participation (ADP) in Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Suppers and Free and Reduced-Price National School Lunch Program (NSLP) for  October 2015 and October 2016

New Mexico
                         Supper ADP     Lunch ADP      Ratio
October 2015    4,365                187, 680            2.3
October 2016    5,551                188,319             2.9

Change in Ratio 0.6
Percent Change in Supper ADP  27.2 %

United States 
                        Supper ADP     Lunch ADP      Ratio
 October 2015  1,047,961        22,022,103         4.8
 October 2016  1,096,361        21,772,369         5.0

Change in Ratio 0.6
Percent Change in Supper ADP  27.2 %

"The number of low-income students who participate in school lunch provides an important baseline for the need for afterschool meals. The CACFP Afterschool Supper Program’s eligibility rules require that at least 50 percent of the students attending the local elementary, middle, or high school are certified for free or reduced- price school meals," said the FRAC report. "This requirement significantly limits the areas that are eligible to participate, resulting in low-income students in every state not having access to afterschool meals. In addition, the eligibility requirement makes it more difficult for states with lower concentrations of poverty within their schools’ enrollment to provide low-income children with afterschool meals,"