New York, NY – On Wednesday morning, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas was joined by Assemblymembers Sarah Clark and Demond Meeks and a diverse coalition of groups to urge the New York State legislature and Governor Hochul to include Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids in the FY 2023 enacted budget. This follows the introduction of legislation by Assemblymember Gonzalez-Rojas, which would supplement the cost of providing school meals not covered by the federal government, so schools are fully reimbursed for all meals they serve.

Federal school meal programs have played a central role in reducing hardship during the pandemic. Since March 2020, USDA has provided waivers to schools, allowing them to serve meals at no cost to all students. These meals have been a lifeline for struggling families, but the waivers are set to expire at the end of this school year, leaving over 2,000 schools and nearly 800,000 students in New York State without access to free school meals for all.

While many New York schools – predominantly in larger, urban school districts – offer meals at no cost for all, 270 eligible schools do not participate, in large part because they are unable to make it work financially. Many of these schools are in small school districts in rural communities.

“Every child in our state deserves to have access to a healthy breakfast and lunch. This is a matter of racial and economic equity and our federal government recognized this when they provided a waiver to states to provide healthy school meals for all. Unfortunately, after June of this year that waiver will expire and 2,000 schools and 800,000 students will lose access to this program. This is unacceptable in one of the richest states in the nation. If Maine can do this then New York State certainly can. I call on our legislature and Governor to fund universal school meals for all of our children in our FY 23 Enacted State Budget,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.

Assemblywoman Clark said, “As a mom of three, I know just how vital it is to have the peace of mind that our children are well-fed and safe at school. And for many students across the state, their school meals may be the only nutritious meals they can access every day. All students, regardless of zip code, deserve healthy meals to support their overall health and well-being. Our students can’t succeed if they are hungry. Let's cut down on paperwork, lunch shaming, and the mental anguish that often surrounds the lunchroom. Now is the time to include Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids in the budget to help school districts statewide, especially those districts that see the population of free and reduced lunch eligible students growing every year. We must continue to invest in our kids."

“Every school in this state should offer healthy school meals at no cost for their students – regardless of income. Our students deserve equal access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch at school to support their health and well-being. There is a direct link between academic performance and healthy school meals. The future of New York State is our children and we must do everything we can to ensure our education system is one that promotes equity in our schools. I will continue to fight for the dignity and opportunity of every student in this state,” said Assemblyman Harry Bronson

“It is essential now more than ever that we support our students with every resource possible. This is why we stand with families across New York State for the inclusion of Healthy School Meals for ALL NY Kids in the budget.” – Assemblymember Demond Meeks

"In every part of New York State, students rely on healthy school meals for their daily nutritional needs. We must ensure that this need continues to be fully met by investing in this lifeline for hundreds of thousands of families. I'm proud to stand with my colleagues for healthy school meals for all New York kids" said Assemblyman Fred Thiele

“Students need proper nourishment to be successful,” said Brian Fessler, Director of Governmental Relations, NYS School Boards Association. “This is why the NYS School Boards Association calls on New York State to act now to launch a statewide universal school meals program to ensure all public school students are offered breakfast and lunch, free of charge. Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids is a critical investment to support students’ ability to thrive academically and to bolster educational equity.”

“Universal meals create equity for all regardless of income, school district size, geographic location, or specific regions throughout the state,” said Donna Riviello, President of New York School Nutrition Association.

“School meals are built around nutrient-rich foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, proteins, and milk which provide essential vitamins and nutrients for growth and development,” said Julie Raway, MPH, RDN, CDN, SNS, FAND, Past President of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “In addition, students who enjoy school breakfast and lunch build lifelong healthy eating habits. Healthy School Meals for All would ensure that every child has access to nourishment for a successful future.”

“For two and a half years NY school districts have been able to provide healthy school meals to all students at no cost. Unless NY State lawmakers act now, that will end June 30^th. One of the few success stories coming out of the pandemic is how healthy school meals for all has made student success more equitable for all students without bias. NY Lawmakers need to be visionary leaders and permanently support healthy school meals for all students,” said Mark Bordeau, Executive Director, Rural Health Network of SCNY.

“Now is the time to invest in school meals,” said Sherry Tomasky, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Hunger Solutions New York. “After federal waivers expire in June 2022, nearly 2,000 schools and 800,000 students across our state will lose access to free school meals. We cannot roll back the ability to offer this critical nutrition assistance to students when schools and families are still working to recover from the health, economic, and academic impacts of the pandemic. We urge our state leaders to invest in providing access to free school meals for all students in New York State.”

“We know that providing healthy school meals for all students translates to better educational outcomes,” said Liz Accles, Executive Director of Community Food Advocates. “This program would support children’s well-being and ability to thrive in school. In the upcoming budget, New York State must ensure that every student – whether urban, suburban, or rural – has equal access.”

Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America said, “Universal school meals reduce child hunger, boost educational outcomes, and advance gender and racial equity. They are the ultimate win-win-win.”