Support Healthy Meals in Family Child Care as AB 679 (Wicks) Heads to Assembly Appropriations

Published on Apr 28, 2023 in CalFresh, State Legislation

We are pleased to share that AB 679 (Wicks) "Food with Care", passed out of the Assembly Education Committee this week on unanimous consent. Nourish California and the CACFP Roundtable, the bill’s cosponsors, would like to thank supporters of the bill for making your voices heard. Your advocacy means we are one step closer to ensuring the state finally closes the state meal reimbursement gap for Family Child Care providers. Thank you.

We would also like to thank Assemblymember Wicks for her leadership on AB 679, and for her ongoing commitment to improving food access and child care for Californians with low income.

What’s next?

Now that the bill has passed it's policy committee hearings in the Assembly, the bill is moving to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Join us in asking the Committee to move the bill on to the Assembly Floor!

Here are three easy ways to support boosting CalFresh benefits:

1) Call and/or Email these key Legislative leaders:

Chris R. Holden, Assembly Appropriations Committee (D-41) (916) 319-2041)
Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon (D-63) (916) 319-2062

Please also contact your Assemblymember if they are listed below as members of the Appropriations Committee (find your Rep here):

Megan Dahle (Vice Chair) (916) 319-2001
Isaac G. Bryan (916) 319-2055
Lisa Calderon (916) 319-2056
Wendy Carrillo (916) 319-2052
Diane Dixon (916) 319-2072
Mike Fong (916) 319-2049
Gregg Hart (916) 319-2037
Josh Lowenthal (916) 319-2069
Devon Mathis (916) 319-2033
Diane Papan (916) 319-2021
Gail Pellerin (916) 319-2028
Robert Rivas (916) 319-2030
Kate Sanchez (916) 319-2071
Akilah Weber, M.D. (916) 319-2079
Lori Wilson, (916) 319-2011

Sample script:

Hi, my name is _____ and I live in ______. I’m calling to urge Assemblymember ______ to support AB 679, a bill that will bring equity to child care nutrition programs by eliminating the state meal reimbursement gap that discriminates against providers in family child care (FCC) homes. Please support AB 679. Thank you. [Or choose one or more of the following reasons or tell them your own]

Existing California law creates an inequitable gap that keeps family child care providers from receiving full state reimbursement for meals served to children in their care. They are required to be reimbursed for only 75% of the meals served to kids in their care. This gap means family child care providers receive no state funding for one out of every four meals they serve. We need to end this discriminatory policy now.
CA must change the outdated law that forces family child care providers to be reimbursed for only 75% of the meals they serve to the kids in their care.

2) Show your support on social media!

Tweet or post your support and tag key members, especially Assemblymember Holden (@ChrisHoldenNews) and Speaker Rendon (@Rendon63rd).

Sample tweets:

All children deserve to be well nourished and thrive. And family child care providers deserve equal reimbursement for healthy meals served to kids in their care. Plz support AB 679! @ChrisHoldenNews @Rendon63rd

CA needs to step up and change the outdated law that forces family child care providers to be reimbursed for only 75% of the meals they serve to the kids in their care. @ChrisHoldenNews @Rendon63rd

We are disappointed in CA’s racist policy that only reimburses family child care providers for 75% of the meals they serve to kids in their care. Support AB 679! @ChrisHoldenNews @Rendon63rd

3) We are also advancing a state budget request to allocate the funding called for in AB 679.

Click here to read our coalition budget sign-on letter. To add your organization in support of fair meal reimbursements in child care, please email your organization's logo to jared@nourishca.org. Thank you!

Background

All children deserve to be well nourished and thrive. But California fails to fairly invest in nourishing our youngest learners and supporting child care providers. Existing state law creates an inequitable gap that keeps certain providers from receiving the full state reimbursement for meals served to children in their care.

This gap means family child care home-based child care providers receive no state funding for one out of every four meals they serve.

California’s child care system undervalues and underpays essential labor historically performed by Black, Latina, and immigrant women. Ending the reimbursement gap is one important step toward eliminating those inequities. Join us in calling on the state to make the modest, long overdue investment in equity. Take one (or all!) of the actions above today.

Questions? Contact: Jared Call at jared@nourishca.org.