When classes resume for kids in eight states, they won’t have to worry about where their next meals will be coming from because they’ll be free
. Several other states are considering similar changes and congressional supporters want to extend free meals to all kids nationwide.
“I was crying when I found out that they finally passed it. I didn't just go and testify for my own kids. I testified for every kid who could benefit,” Lightfeather said. In New Mexico, where educators and policymakers have long talked about the nexus of poverty and educational outcomes, most students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals even before the new law was signed in March.
Lorraine Martinez, the school secretary, said some children used to suffer stomach cramps or would feel dizzy because they didn’t have enough to eat.Many families will still struggle to afford school meals in other states. Annette Nielsen, executive director of the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center in New York City, said breakfasts and lunches can cost parents $1,500 per student per year.
Stacy Koppen, director of nutrition services for St. Paul Public Schools, said her district can offer universal meals at 60 schools this year, up from the 40 that qualified last year for a federal program that makes meals free to all students at schools with high populations from lower-income families.The new law is also a boon for Minnetonka in suburban Minneapolis, which is considered affluent.
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