Reporting from Massachusetts, as the new school year kicks off this September, there’s a significant cause for celebration. The state legislature, along with Governor Maura Healey, has passed the fiscal year 2024 budget, marking a monumental step in the fight against child hunger. This budget ensures that all K-12 students in Massachusetts will have access to free school meals, positioning the state alongside seven others – California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont – in this crucial initiative.

The program’s roots trace back to the peak of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal waivers then allowed schools to provide free meals to families during school closures and remote learning. In Massachusetts alone, an estimated 23.6 percent of households with children faced food insecurity during the pandemic’s height. Consequently, the nation saw a significant increase in school meal participation, with over 10 million students partaking, a 50 percent rise compared to previous years.

Before federal waivers ceased in June 2022, California and Maine had already secured funding for permanent free school meals. Since then, six other states have followed, utilizing various methods such as budget provisions, legislative bills, and even voter-passed tax measures, as seen in Colorado.

Massachusetts had been providing free meals throughout the 2022-2023 school year, initially as a one-year commitment. The transition to a permanent solution was significantly influenced by the advocacy efforts of Project Bread’s Feed Kids Coalition. This coalition, involving students, parents, educators, and community groups, actively reached out to legislators, making over 18,000 advocacy efforts.

Now, with this legislative victory, Massachusetts turns its attention to the implementation of the program. Data from the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reveals a substantial increase in participation; for instance, in March 2023, daily school lunch participation increased by 66,756 compared to March 2019.

However, this surge in participation has not been without challenges. The initial reopening of schools in September 2021 saw supply chain issues impacting food sourcing. Currently, school nutrition departments are adjusting to the increased demand and exploring efficient ways to manage lunchtime, benefiting from the absence of payment processing.

The School Meals for All program has also enabled schools to eliminate meal debt collection, directing funds towards program improvements instead. This shift has allowed for increased staffing, better cafeteria equipment, and investments in local fresh food.

In contrast, states where free school meals ceased post-federal waivers have witnessed increasing debts and food insecurity. This scenario underscores the importance of initiatives like Massachusetts’, with organizations nationwide pushing for similar legislation. At the national level, there’s anticipation for the progress on federal bills aimed at making universal school meals a permanent fixture.

The message is clear: while waiting for federal action, states are encouraged to join this movement against child hunger. With eight states already on board, the goal is to extend this initiative across the remaining 42.