ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 5, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Former U.S. Senator George McGovern will hold a press briefing during the American School Food Service Association's (ASFSA) 55th Annual National Conference to discuss the international school feeding program he is championing along with former Senator Robert J. Dole.
McGovern, now the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food & Agriculture, will take media questions at 10 a.m., CDT, on July 18, following a general session talk before the ASFSA delegates at the Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. At present, there are two bills (H.R. 1700/S. 1036) pending in Congress to continue and increase U.S. assistance of school meals in developing nations.
In his position with the U.N., McGovern has made it a personal cause to raise awareness of the need for developed nations to help provide basic nutrition to school children in poor countries. He played an instrumental role in the start of the United States' support of such initiatives and now is advocating a greater role, including increased funding, for international school feeding assistance.
The McGovern press briefing is open to all credentialed media and will take place in the ASFSA pressroom, Presidential Boardroom B. Media wishing to attend the press briefing and/or to cover the ASFSA conference should register with ASFSA media relations specialist, Joe Haas in the pressroom if they are not pre-registered for the conference. The press office will be open from noon to 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, July 16; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, July 17; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18.
Just prior to the ASFSA conference, ASFSA and the School Food Service Foundation will convene the third annual Global Child Nutrition Forum on July 13 and 14 in Nashville. Eleven delegates -- representing Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Kenya, Peru, Poland, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom -- will discuss school feeding in their respective countries and investigate solutions to the problems they face. In addition, joining the 11 delegates will be two graduate students from the U.N.'s World Food Programme, representing Canada and Sierra Leone.
ASFSA is a national, non-profit professional organization representing approximately 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. Founded in 1946, ASFSA is the only association devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children's health and well being through school meals and sound nutrition education.
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CONTACT: ASFSA, Alexandria
Joseph Haas
(703) 739-3900, ext. 122
Jhaas@asfsa.org