The ASPHN board of directors met on July 9, 2021.
- Eleven General membership applications were approved: Nora Downs (WA); Robyn Goettelman (TX); Emily Jarvis (WV); Kathryn Lessig (NC); Joan Medlen (OR); Kayla Misera (MO); Brittney Mosley (MS); Jennifer Nicklas (LA); Daisy Silverio (CA); Kaitlin Skwir (MI); Denise Tamburro (RI).
- Twenty-one Associate, including 18 student membership, applications were approved: Sophia Banks (NC); Kelly Bolton (NC); Jordan Campbell (NC); Maurisha Carney (NC); Susan Collins (NC); Jamie Cooley (MN); Kayla Daughtry (NC); Courtney Disposti (NC); Michael Goins (NC); Shelby Gosnell (NC); Kaitlyn Hatcher (NC); Dorothy Hawley (NC); Abraya Johnson (NC); Natasha Johnson-Griffin (NC); Aubrey Nealey (NC); Brenda Ramirez (NC); Linda Sidoran (NC); Abigail Stroud (NC); Sarah Lisson (TN); Mikaela McIver (TN); Alexandria Sedlak (NY).
- Motion to approve a permanent half-year, half-price Associate membership fee ($25 per Associate member for members joining in July through December) passed unanimously.
- Policy Committee actions on behalf of ASPHN since last board report:A. Comments: Submitted ASPHN’s recommendations to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the process of updating the Thrifty Food Plan; advising on the new TFP reflect current cost of a basic healthy diet, and the lived experiences of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) participants.
B. Signed-on to the:
· Nemours, Children’s System letter urging the Biden-Harris Administration to build a prosperous future for children and youth, and our nation at-large through better coordination at the federal level
· Letter from the League of American Bicyclists, AHA, and the Safe Routes Partnership urging Congress to amend the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) in support of active transportation
· AND’s letter to Chairs and Ranking Members of the Finance, Energy & Commerce, and Ways & Means Committees in support of the MNT Act
· Senator Gillibrand’s letter supporting Senator Gillibrand and Representative Adams reintroduction of the Closing the Meal Gap Act
· Center for Science In the Public Interest’s (CSPI) letter addressed to Congress in support of the NANA updated Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) priorities
· CSPI’s letter to USDA on “Supply Chains for the Production of Agricultural Commodities and Food Products.” The scope of this letter is limited to the role that values-driven federal food procurement can and should play in achieving the resilient, diverse, and secure agricultural supply chains that President Biden’s EO.14017 envisions
· National WIC Association’ (NWA) letter advocating for a higher allocation in the Agriculture Appropriations bill
· NWA letter calling for Congress to fund WIC at levels consistent with the President’s Budget
· Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) letter to Senators and Senate health staff which asks for the highest possible funding level in Fiscal Year 2022 for programs at HRSA, CDC, and NIH to prevent maternal deaths, eliminate inequities in maternal health outcomes, and improve maternal health
· National Farm to School (NF2S) letter urging Congress and the Administration to offer healthy school meals to every child at no cost and maintain this approach to provide Healthy School Meals (for all) beyond the 2021-2022 school year
· TFAH’S letter to congressional leadership urging them to include Senator Murray’s Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (PHISLA, S. 674) in any infrastructure legislation being developed
· NANA’s letter supporting the American Families Plan. This letter focuses on a $1 billion proposal for school nutrition in the American Families Plan and calls on USDA to prioritize supporting schools in meeting and exceeding the nutrition standards
· TFAH letter in of support for the re-introduction of the Improving Data Collection for Adverse Childhood Experiences Act. H.R. 3467
· University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and the National Drinking Water Alliance letter in support of priority improvements in federal level drinking water policy in child nutrition programs
· National Center for Healthy Housing’s organizational letter to Congress in support of funding for lead poisoning prevention and healthy homes in the American Jobs Plan