Officials call on Congress to extend free meals for all students

An extension to the pandemic-era school meal waivers program that was passed by Congress in June contained a caveat that would require most low-income families to apply again for the program and, for students who qualify for reduced-price meals, to resume paying for breakfast and lunch.

The “Keep Kids Fed Act” waiver that had been in place since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic had been set to expire June 30.

Mr. Guardia said households with children had been particularly hard hit by the pandemic and continue to struggle. And many, he said, were already facing issues before the pandemic started.

“Even before COVID, hunger in America was a serious problem and the pandemic only deepened that crisis. If not for the innovation and the investments in the federal nutrition programs, hunger in this country would be far, far worse,” he said. “Now is not the time to pull the rug out from underneath struggling families. Students, parents and schools need support as they continue to recover from the fallout of the pandemic. We know solutions exist, and Congress must act now and prioritize the well-being of our nation’s children.”

Ms. FitzSimons said that, with Congress breaking for recess this month, “we are at a critical juncture to ensure that children receive the nutritious meals that they need to learn and thrive.”

“School meals are an important resource for families struggling to recover from the pandemic. They reduce childhood hunger, they improve health, and they support children’s’ academic achievement. Without access to free school meals this upcoming school year, an alarming number of children will be at risk of hunger and, without congressional action, when students return to the classrooms for the new school year, free school meals will no longer be offered to all students at no charge,” Ms. FitzSimons said. “Schools will return to a tiered eligibility system where some students receive free meals and others are charged, and that limits participation for too many children whose families are struggling to make ends meet.”

She said that by building on the momentum created by the Keep Kids Fed Act, “Congress has the opportunity to strengthen and improve access to school meals and create a permanent financial resource for families during the summer months.”

“We are happy that the budget reconciliation bill is moving forward, but we are also very disappointed that the child nutrition provisions were not included in the final package,” she said. “We hope that Congress will prioritize children’s nutritional needs in another legislative vehicle.”

That includes extending the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s waiver authorities that allow schools to offer free meals to all students at no charge through the 2022-23 school year. She also suggested expanding the Community Eligibility Program so more schools are able to offer free meals to all students at no charge after the school year, and creating a nationwide program that would provide additional resources to purchase food during the summer months for families who rely on free and reduced-price school meals during the school year.

Ms. Weingarten said she was also disappointed that the child nutrition waivers were not extended.

“As educators in the classroom, we know that keeping students fed is absolutely imperative. Speaking for my union, we will keep on working to make it a priority and to not let people turn it away. That’s because nutrition really matters,” she said. “We talk about how no child should go to school hungry or should feel shame, embarrassment or fear because they can’t afford a meal in school, That is part of having a safe and welcoming space for children. When we can’t get the child nutrition program done, then our words are not sufficient because it’s the action that matter, not the words.”

Ms. Weingarten said food insecurity isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue.

“It happens all the time. It happens in the months when schools are in teaching and the months that schools are not, and we need to make sure that there’s no shaming and that every single child can get the kind of nutritious breakfast and lunch that is absolutely imperative for them to thrive,” she said.

Ms. Rowe-Finkbeiner, president and CEO of MomsRising, said her organization is more than a million people strong.

“I’m here today to add my voice and add the voice of moms across the country and to all those who are demanding universal free school lunches continue through the coming school year. We were disappointed to learn last night that the child nutrition provisions were not included in the inflation reduction act, which does contain some important advances, but also had some devastating omissions like this one that will harm our families,” she said.

She said MomsRising will “work tirelessly to convince Congress to find a way to strengthen child nutrition programs before students head back to school in the fall.”

“The free school meals that were available to all students for the last two years during the pandemic were an enormous help. They meant fewer kids went hungry, more families could afford to put healthy, nutritious foods on the table, and more students were ready to learn,” she said. “The success of these programs is proof positive that this policy works and should not end.”

“We don’t need chaos this fall on top of an ongoing pandemic,” she added.” We need free school meals for all, today, especially because food prices are skyrocketing, the pandemic continues, families can’t afford gas to get to the store, and supply chain disruptions are creating unpredictable and sometimes unmanageable food shortages.”