USDA Official Joins Congresswoman DeLauro, New England Patriots' Ron Brace and New Haven Students to Unveil New Salad Bars

New Haven, CT, February 3, 2011 - USDA Deputy Under Secretary Janey Thornton today joined Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut's 3rd Congressional District and Chef Timothy Cipriano, Executive Director, New Haven Public School Food Services, and New England Patriots' Ron Brace to unveil a new salad bar at Mauro-Sheridan Science, Technology and Communications School as part of Let's Move! Salad Bars to Schools.

"Let's Move! Salad Bars to Schools provides students an opportunity to prepare and consume their own fresh salad every day, which translates into a win-win for our children's health and wellbeing," said Thornton. "We thank all of our vital partners who contributed and look forward to the thousands of schools that will benefit from similar nutritious options in the coming years."

Let's Move! Salad Bars to Schools initiative works to provide at least 6,000 salad bars to schools in the next three years. New Haven Public Schools has been awarded two salad bars from NatureSeal and the United Fresh Produce Association Foundation. Mauro-Sheridan is a magnet school for children pre-K through 8th grade.

Thornton also emphasized the importance of improving the nutrition, health and well being of children through other Let's Move! initiatives such as Chefs Move to Schools, Healthier US School Challenge and Fuel Up to Play 60, as well as the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service oversees the administration of 15 nutrition assistance programs, including the child nutrition programs. Improving child nutrition is also a focal point of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that recently passed Congress and was signed by President Obama on Dec. 13, 2010. This legislation authorizes USDA'S child nutrition programs, including the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program, which serves nearly 32 million children each day. It will allow USDA, for the first time in over 30 years, the chance to make real reforms to the school lunch and breakfast programs by improving the critical nutrition and hunger safety net for millions of children. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is the legislative centerpiece of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative.