Official Publication of the National League of Cities OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY
Volume 35, Number 6 | February 13, 2012
IN THIS ISSUE
www.nlc.org
PAGE 3
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NLC’s City Showcase Program Prizes
Innovation in Green Cities
PAGE 5
FHFA Initiates PACE Rulemaking,
Local Governments Urged to Act
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Webinars Focus on Broadband Access,
Energy Code Compliance
Cities Invited to Apply for Leadership Academy on Combating
Child Hunger Through Federal Afterschool Meal Program
$1 Million Initiative by NLC, Walmart Foundation to Offer Additional Funding and Assistance
by Michael Karpman
NLC invites municipal lead-
ers to apply for one of two
regional leadership academies
that will help them reduce child
hunger and supplement current
funding for out-of-school time
programs in their communities
by increasing participation in
the federal Afterschool Meal
Program. With support from
the Walmart Foundation, NLC
will cover travel costs for 10
cities at each of two leader-
ship academies. These conven-
ings will be held May 2-3 in
Washington, D.C., and May
22-23 in Portland, Ore. To
download the application, visit
www.nlc.org/iyef.
The Afterschool Meal Program can help combat hunger and
obesity, which affects millions of disadvantaged children
who rely on school breakfasts and lunches but lack access
to healthy meals outside of school.
organization working to eradi-
cate hunger and undernutrition
in the United States.
City leaders selected to
attend a leadership academy
will receive in-depth training
and learn about practical strat-
egies for helping more chil-
dren receive federally-funded
meals after school and on week-
ends through the expanded
Afterschool Meal Program.
Cities that participate in one
of the leadership academies
will also be eligible to compete
for regranted funding (up to
$60,000 per selected city) from
the Walmart Foundation, as
well as more intensive techni-
cal assistance from NLC and
FRAC to boost program par-
ticipation.
How Can the
Afterschool Meal
Program Reduce Child
Hunger?
The federal Afterschool
Meal Program reimburses city
agencies, schools and nonprof-
it organizations that provide
nutritious meals at their after-
school and weekend programs
for children and youth. Passage
of the Healthy, Hunger-Free
Kids Act in December 2010
made this program available in
all 50 states following a success-
ful 13-state pilot project.
see page 8, column 1
Transportation Bills Move Through Congress
by Leslie Wollack
Newspaper Handling
In a whirlwind of activity, House
and Senate leaders are removing barriers
to the adoption of a long-term authori-
zation of the federal transportation pro-
gram and will bring two very different
pieces of legislation to their respective
chambers next week. The debate will
include differences in funding sources
for federal transit, highway and bridge
programs, duration of the program and
major policy differences.
Lawmakers face a looming deadline
of March 31 — when the current pro-
gram expires — amid news from the
Congressional Budget Office last week
that current transportation revenues
will run out soon.
H.R. 7, the American Energy and
Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012, is
scheduled for debate on the House floor
next week under a rule limiting amend-
ments that may be offered. The five-
year, $260 billion bill was adopted on a
mostly party-line vote after an 18-hour
session of the House Transportation
and Infrastructure Committee.
see page 8, column 1
