Proclamation 3939—National School Lunch Week, 1969

Our land has been blessed by an abundance of food and by the genius and industry of our food-producers. Yet, despite the rich and varied diet available to us, there are still many Americans who are malnourished, whether due to poverty or to uninformed purchase and preparation of food.

It is one of the major tasks confronting the American people to eliminate malnutrition whether it be caused by the curse of poverty or the blight of ignorance.

A vital step toward this goal is the provision of ample food and proper nutrition for the American child. Safeguarding the health and well-being of school children has been a hallmark of the National School Lunch Program during its 23 years of operation. Last year it provided nutritious lunches to more than 20 million youngsters, including some three million from low-income families who were served at no cost or at a greatly reduced price.

It is unfortunate that many thousands of children seriously in need of better nutrition do not now have the benefit of either the school lunch or school breakfast service. All of us—professional and volunteer workers alike—at Federal, State and local levels must use our abilities and resources in an effort to bring better nutrition to these children. There can be no more important or far-reaching use of the abundance of food produced by America's farm-lands than to feed our children.

To recognize the value and achievements of the National School Lunch Program, the Congress, by a joint resolution of October 9, 1962 (76 Stat. 779), has designated the seven-day period beginning on the second Sunday of October in each year as National School Lunch Week, and has requested the President to issue a proclamation annually calling for the observance of that week.

Now, Therefore, I, Richard Nixon, President of the United States of America, call upon the people of the United States to observe the week beginning October 12, 1969, as National School Lunch Week.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred sixty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred ninety-fourth.

RICHARD NIXON