ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Hundreds of organizations and schools across the state are calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to fund free school lunches for every student in New York.

“There is much better educational outcomes as a result of universal school meals when that occurred and every parent knows this, a hungry child is going to be a hangry child, a hungry child is going to be one that is going to act out. You can’t learn when you’ve got your stomach roaring,” said Larry Marx, CEO of The Children’s Agenda.

More than 200 education, farm, union and anti-hunger groups have sent a letter to the governor urging her to include universal free meals in her next state budget. Right now, if a family of four makes more than $58,000 a year, their kids don’t qualify for free breakfast and lunch if they’re not in a participating district.

If the governor were to expand the program, free school meals could save families an estimated $165 per child per month.

Eight states currently provide free school meals for all of their students. This collation is hoping the Governor will make New York state the 9th and include funding for it, in her budget for next year. We, of course, will keep you posted.

RCSD, Greece, Gates-Chili and a number of our other local districts already offer free school lunches to all students but that’s because a majority of their families would quality for it based on income levels — but not all districts cover everyone. There’s a big push to change that.

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