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In a year of tough budget decisions, our coalition appreciates Governor Hochul’s decision to sustain funding for New York’s expansion of free school meals. This investment has allowed for significant progress toward statewide free school meals, with immediate impacts for hundreds of thousands of children across the state.
Still, this funding falls short of a true statewide Healthy School Meals for All policy. An estimated 700 schools serving 325,000 students were excluded from the expansion of free school meals in last year's budget. In these schools, children are still means-tested for school meals, a broken system that fosters stigma and leaves struggling families without relief. In the absence of a universal school meals policy, a family of four earning just above $56,000 is ineligible for free school meals. Schools provide vital support such as bus rides, textbooks, and school-issued technology to all students at no cost—the same should be true for school meals.
We look forward to working with the Legislature and Governor Hochul to go one step further to fully fund school meals at no cost for all students. This policy aligns with shared goals of improving affordability and ensuring New York families can meet their basic needs. Providing school breakfast and lunch at no cost saves families an estimated $150 per child per month in grocery costs. New York can and must fully fund Healthy School Meals for All New York Kids.
In response to Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget proposal, join us in calling on lawmakers in Albany to fully fund Healthy School Meals for All in the final state budget:
1. Send a letter directly to Governor Hochul, leaders in the legislature, and your representatives to send a clear message—New York needs statewide free school meals.
2. Post on social media using our toolkit.
3. Join us for the HSMFA NY Kids Coalition’s Advocacy Day on January 29, 2024. Registration has officially closed, but you can still join by emailing Abbie Watts.
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