Hochul: NY will cover cost of all school meals

January 10, 2025 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in the Bronx borough of New York. AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in the Bronx borough of New York. Photo: Julia Nikhinson/AP

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STATEWIDE — NEW YORK WILL COVER THE COST OF ALL SCHOOL MEALS for the first time in the state’s history, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Friday. Her historic initiative aims to ensure each of New York’s over 2.7 million students can receive a free breakfast and lunch at school by eliminating any requirements to receive this benefit. The Fiscal Year 2025 Enacted Budget included $180 million to help incentivize eligible schools to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision program, allowing all students in participating schools to eat breakfast and lunch at no charge regardless of their families’ income. This new State of the State initiative will cover the cost of free lunch and breakfast for every student at every school in New York State regardless of their participation in the program, which will expand eligibility to nearly 300,000 additional students. Free school meals are estimated to save families $165 per child in grocery spending each month and have been shown to support learning, boost test scores, and improve attendance and classroom behavior.

NY Attorney General Letitia James, who has allied with Hochul on guaranteeing free meals to New York’s schoolchildren, in a statement pledged to make sure the program is implemented.

“No child in New York should go hungry, and we know that hunger harms our students’ academic success and well-being. For years, I have called for every New York student to have access to free lunches, and I am glad this is finally being addressed,” James said.

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