ASSEMBLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4363

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 19, 2017

      The Assembly Women and Children Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4363.

      This bill would establish a non-lapsing revolving fund in the Department of Agriculture to be known as the “Nourishing Young Minds Initiative Fund.”  The bill requires that all monies appropriated annually by the Legislature, federal and other grants received by the State, and any other monies made available for the purposes of the fund would be deposited in the fund.  Monies in the fund may be invested, and interest or other income earned on these investments would be credited to the fund.

      Monies in the “Nourishing Young Minds Initiative Fund” would be used by the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, to provide support and funding to child food and nutrition programs in the State, which would include:

      (1)  funding outreach and programmatic support by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, or community-based organizations;

      (2)  providing small grants to fund one-time startup or expansion costs of “breakfast after the bell” programs; and

      (3)  providing small grants to fund one-time start-up or expansion costs of summer nutrition programs.

      Funding would be prioritized for award to districts or schools with the highest number of eligible students and lowest participation in the school breakfast program.