Sen. Gillibrand pushes for universal free school meals bill

August 27, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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NATIONWIDE — PUSHING FOR UNIVERSAL SCHOOL MEALS and the bill covering this provision, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand stood at M400 High School for Environmental Studies in Manhattan on Tuesday, Aug. 27, with elected officials, CEO of Hunger Free America Joel Berg and Senior Executive Director of the NYCDOE Office of Food and Nutrition Services Chris Tricarico. They are working to advance the passage of the Universal School Meals Program Act, which would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack to all children regardless of income. The bill has been held up in the House of Representatives’ Agriculture Committee for over a year. The Universal School Meals Program Act would permanently provide free meals to all schoolchildren regardless of income and end the burdensome application paperwork that poses a barrier to enrollment in meal programs; increase the reimbursement rates for school authorities participating in the food and nutrition programs to more accurately reflect the true cost of providing meals; reduce the stigma associated with meal programs by eliminating meal debt and prohibiting school food authorities from discriminating against or overtly identifying a child participating in the free meal program; and expand the summer food service program and Summer EBT program by making all children eligible to participate in the programs.

Currently, only communities where 50% of children are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch can operate a summer meals program.

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