CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES EXPANDED SUMMER LUNCHES FOR DC CHILDREN
                                            Release No. 0221.97
                                                               
                                    Tom Amontree (202) 720-4623
                                          tom.amontree@usda.gov
                                    Johna Pierce (202) 720-4623
                                          johna.pierce@usda.gov



CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES EXPANDED SUMMER LUNCHES FOR DC CHILDREN

     WASHINGTON, July 8, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today
announced that an innovative public/private partnership will provide about 1,500
school age children in the District of Columbia with access to wholesome lunches
during the upcoming summer months.

     In the partnership, which is the first of its kind, the Marriott
International Corporation will donate free kitchen space and free labor to the DC
Central Kitchen, thereby enabling the Kitchen to expand significantly its
capacity to prepare meals for DC's portion of the summer food service program, a
national program funded by USDA to help low-income children receive meals during
the summer. 

     "The partnership will mean a lot for children in the District of Columbia
this summer.  This effort highlights the Clinton Administration's special
emphasis on helping the District of Columbia and is a concrete example of how
corporations can work with the Federal government, non-profit groups, and
community volunteers to aid the nation's children," Vice President Gore said.

     The DC Central Kitchen, which currently prepares and distributes over 2,500
meals for shelters and feeding programs everyday, supplied 500 lunches at 5 sites
in the District last summer.  In order to allow the Kitchen to expand the number
of its summer feeding program sites from 5 to 20, the District of Columbia
School System -- which oversees the summer food service program in DC -- worked
with USDA to grant the Kitchen a waiver to regulations that limit the number of
such sites run by a non-profit group.  

     "Providing nutritious meals to school-age children is one of the most vital
functions of USDA.  We are dedicated to finding innovative ways to ensure that
children who participate in the national school lunch program during the school
year are also able to obtain meals during the summer. This new partnership will
help feed about 1,500 young people in the D.C. area," Glickman said.

     Utilizing food service facilities at American University, Marriott
International will help the Kitchen produce and deliver daily lunches to children
at 20 diverse youth programs in the District of Columbia from today through
August 28 of this year.

 Participation in the program in DC tripled last summer as a result of a
large-scale expansion and outreach campaign, which was aided by the AmeriCorps
national service program.  This summer, nearly 200 schools, churches, community
centers, apartment buildings, and youth centers throughout the city will host the
program.  It is estimated that nearly 20,000 young people will participate. 
There are no forms to complete and no proof of income required at the designated
sites in D.C.  Children simply arrive at sites at designated times and are able
to eat for free.

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