Universal free school lunch now!
Petition to Congress:
When the pandemic relief program that expanded free school lunch expired, 10 million kids lost the free lunches they needed at school. Families who are struggling to get by are relying on you to pass legislation for universal free school lunch for all kids.
Formula shortages. Increased prices at the grocery store. Defunding of public education. The pandemic. Families have struggled through so much these last few years. And Congress has allowed the expanded free lunch program to expire.1
We have the chance right now to not only reinstate the program, but make free lunch for kids at school permanently free for all. Originally passed during the height of the pandemic, the free lunch program guaranteed an additional 10 million children lunch at school and millions of families peace of mind.2
As school districts consider sending kids’ lunch debt to collections agencies and try to stop children from attending graduation ceremonies, AND as corporate price gouging continues to make it hard for families to make ends meet, Congress must reinstate this program and make universal free school lunch for all kids a permanent program.
Sign the petition and urge Congress to fund universal school meals now!
School lunch debt is uniquely an American problem, just like the U.S. government’s excessive spending on war and how much people are forced to spend on health care.
When we invest in a program that guarantees kids have meals at school, we’re fighting child hunger, investing in our future, and creating a better school environment for everyone. Universal school lunch program is a simple and necessary policy in the richest country in the world. Just like other social programs, making the policy universal is the easiest, most effective way to deliver to each and every person.
Families just should not have to worry whether or not their kids will be able to afford lunch at school, whether their kids will be bullied for struggling to pay, or whether they will have to go into debt for school lunches.
Instead of CUTTING the social safety net, Congress should be finding ways to strengthen it — and not only reinstating free school lunches to 10 million kids, but making universal free school lunch a permanent program.
Urge Congress to reinstate the expanded free school lunch program for all now and make it permanent!
Sources:
- New York Times, “Families Struggle as Pandemic Program Offering Free School Meals Ends,” January 22, 2023.
- Ibid.