Bill Clinton

“ Equally important, the National School Lunch Program provides our children with the fuel they need to remain alert and attentive in the classroom. Common sense tells us-and scientific research confirms-that a hungry child cannot focus on learning and that a child who does not eat properly is more likely to be sick and absent from school. Day in and day out, school lunches give our children the energy to learn today, while helping them prepare for the challenges of the future. ”

“ Whether providing schoolchildren with a good breakfast or a healthy afternoon snack, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer School Food Service Program, the Special Milk Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program help ensure that our children eat nutritious and healthy meals throughout the day. As we observe this special week, let us reaffirm the belief of President Harry Truman, founder of the school lunch program, that "Nothing is more important in our national life than the welfare of our children, and proper nourishment comes first in attaining this welfare." ”