Hochul proposes free public school breakfast and lunch

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a plan on Friday morning to give free breakfasts and lunches to all 2.7 million public schoolers in New York. The fifth proposal of her upcoming State of the State address, the initiative targets food insecurity and academic performance.

The program would feed students regardless of a family's annual income or whether the school participates in federal programs. Analysis from Hochul's office estimates that free public school meals would cut the grocery bills for families by about $165 per child per month. Expanding the state's current plan would feed almost 300,000 more students who were not previously eligible.

In December, the Second Annual Forum on Hunger and Food Insecurity in New York convened in Albany. They underlined some of the same stats about savings and student eligibility numbers as Hochul. Universal school breakfast and lunch topped their list of recommendations, which also included:

• Setting the minimum monthly SNAP benefit at $100
• Creating state-funded SNAP for immigrants ineligible for federal aid
• Strengthening Summer EBT program

Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas sponsors the Universal School Meals Act (S594/A282) in the Assembly. That proposal gives all New York public, charter, and non-public school students free breakfast and lunch, no matter their family income. Schools would have to rely on funding federal programs, with the state covering any gaps.

Advocates praised Hochul's plan on Friday, highlighting the potential to reduce hunger, improve academic performance, and eliminate the problem of kids falling into debt over the price of lunch. "Every day in our schools, educators see hungry children who would likely qualify for existing free meal programs, but fall through the cracks due to stigma or bureaucracy. Nearly one in six New York children faces food insecurity, and this critical initiative to provide universal free meals for all students—regardless of their ZIP code or family income—will reduce food anxiety, improve mental and physical health, and support students’ ability to thrive," said Melinda Person, president of the teacher's union NYSUT. "Every child, no matter their circumstances, deserves the nutrition they need to grow and learn."

And according to No Kid Hungry New York Director Rachel Sabella, "We can’t ever resign ourselves to more kids facing hunger, or more families going without the help they need."

Hochul highlighted the proposal at Westbury Middle School on Long Island, a district that has seen the benefits of universal free meals. “The research is clear," she said. "Good food in the lunchroom creates good grades in the classroom."

A 2023 Siena poll showed that 77% of New York voters support state-funded school meals, including 63% of Republicans. Support spanned all regions, incomes, races, and age groups.

But critics of "free" school meals point out that, even if students don't pay up front, such programs still cost New Yorkers money in the form of tax dollars. Hochul's office did not include a price tag for the proposal on Friday.

The initiative would complement the Farm-to-School program and Nourish New York, which connect schools and farms offering fresh, locally grown foods. Hochul's office said that Nourish New York distributed over 100 million meals since 2021.