ADVOCACY IN ACTION

BY CAITLIN HARRISON, 2022-2023 SNA-WI PRESIDENT

A warm hello to all of our SNA-WI member’s! Hopefully by now the temperature is warming up and we are all able to spend time outside and get some much needed sunshine and Vitamin D!

This School Tray Today edition is all about Advocacy in Action! You will hear from our statewide leaders on what that means and how impactful and important advocacy is in our profession.

On a large scale this year, Governor Evers included several important funding items in his budget proposal; healthy school meals for all, increased breakfast funding, increased local food funding and more. As you may have seen, several leaders, partners and supporters of our programs across the state have been attending the Joint Finance Committee Hearings that have been held across the state to express their support and advocate that these items stay in the state budget. Through the state budget planning process, the Joint Finance Committee held public hearings where anyone in the state had the opportunity to testify in support of a specific budget item. We were excited to see such a large presence of supporters across the state to ensure every child in the state has a healthy foundation for learning and growing.

While it’s important to continue large-scale advocacy, I also want to remind all of our members that the most important advocacy that can happen is grassroots advocacy. Simply put, grassroots advocacy is about advocating for and in your local community. This means building connections and gaining support for our programs with local elected officials, family members and students. You are probably already advocating for your program whether you know it or not! I encourage each of you to continue to build these relationships and gain support wherever possible. I also encourage you to invite locally elected officials into your District to see all the work that goes into feeding kids in your area- those visits are truly the most impactful.

We know we have a lot of work ahead of us to ensure all children in our state are fed healthy, quality meals. We also know that each and every child is worth this investment. Keep up the good work and I hope you enjoy this edition of the School Tray Today!

CAITLIN HARRISON PRESIDENT | HARRISOC@ELMBROOKSCHOOLS.ORG

WELCOME, NEW SNA-WI MEMBERS!

New Members as of 4/30/23

• Jenna Anthony, Oregon SD

• Debbie Ashmore, Boscobel Area SD

• Stephanie Boyd, Sun Prairie Area

• Wendy Corlett, Stone Bank SD

• Tom Dembski, West Bend Joint SD

• Hanna Heinrich, Elmbrook SD

• Pam Kevilus, Prentice

• Laena Klinger, DC Everest

• Holly Knight, Sun Prairie Area

• Ann Lestina, Kettle Moraine SD

• Robert Lips, Sun Prairie Area

• Melanie Lopata, Kettle Moraine SD

• Lois Ludwig, Ashwaubenon

• Angela Miller, Stone Bank SD

• Jessica Monteferrante, De Forest Area SD

• Heather Piontek, LUMIN Schools

• Jaclyn Sanders, Lake Geneva-Genoa City Uhs

• Jennifer Seonbuchner, Stone Bank SD

• Lisa Stubbe, Franklin Public SD

• Michelle Zvonar, WI Department of Public Instruction

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