1-in-7 students in New York state are going hungry. From our city centers to the countryside, this issue affects all communities.
Research has shown that students experiencing hunger struggle to focus and have lower school attendance, which in turn impacts their academic performance. Worse still, hungry children are at a greater risk of mental and physical health problems.
Free and reduced meals still leave 470,000 students without a seat at the cafeteria table, and thousands more children are pushed out of the lunch line because of stigma, literacy and language barriers.
We believe all students deserve healthy school meals.
In the FY 2024 State Budget, New York must establish and fund a statewide, permanent Healthy School Meals for All program across all schools in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).