Massachusetts adopts law to provide free food in schools
BOSTON, Massachusetts – The U.S. state of Massachusetts will permanently offer free meals in schools.
The state legislature approved a $171.3 million budget proposal to fund the school lunch program. This would make Massachusetts the eighth U.S. state to make free school meals permanent.
The program was originally implemented during the pandemic, but federal funding expired last year.
Free school meals have been linked to a number of positive outcomes, including a decrease in child hunger and better academic performance.
The program would benefit students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
The program is supported by a number of organizations, including Project Bread and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents.
“We would not be where we are today without the voices and activism of thousands of advocates and organizations, who made it clear that feeding our kids must be a statewide priority,” Erin McAleer, president and CEO of the Massachusetts anti-hunger group Project Bread, said in a statement.
School superintendents from across Massachusetts in a letter said that they view universal free meals as “a needed part of education, not simply a nice add-on.
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