We won’t compromise on our kids’ futures: Fund healthy school meals for all | Opinion

Much of this year’s news coverage on the state budget has omitted one of the most important investments we will ever have the opportunity to make: providing all New York students with free school meals.

Most students in New York’s public schools come from low- and middle-income families who have been hit hard by rising costs. Since federal funding that provided free school meals for all students expired at the beginning of this school year, school meal debt has skyrocketed across the state, leaving many families unable to afford school meals.  Funding universal school meals in this year’s budget would be a lifeline for all New York families, especially those struggling to make ends meet, saving parents an average of $140 in groceries per child each month. As a result of these savings, households whose children attend schools with universal meals would be three times less likely to experience food insecurity. This is why members of the Governor’s Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature to fund Healthy School Meals for All as an additional means to improve economic security for New York’s children and families.

The positive impact of free school meals is undeniable. Syracuse University found that providing free school meals results in the same learning benefits as six to ten weeks of additional instruction. By ensuring all students have the nutrition they need to thrive, Healthy School Meals For All is proven to boost test scores and improve behavioral health while reducing racial health disparities and academic achievement gaps.

Providing school meals to all students is especially important because it eliminates administrative burdens and social stigmas that hold students back from participating in existing programs. Many students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals decline to participate due to the social stigma that comes with a means-tested program.

The impact also extends beyond the classroom. Guaranteeing every student two healthy meals a day has massive physical and mental health benefits that stay with students long after graduation.

The best part? We can provide all of these benefits for a relatively small investment. By devoting just 0.1% of the State budget to Healthy School Meals for All, we can massively boost student achievement, put more money back in families’ pockets each month, and improve health outcomes for generations of New Yorkers. Providing young people with the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and succeed in school will also save the state money down the line on healthcare and other social services expenses. It’s a modest investment today that will pay huge dividends for decades to come.

Other states have done this math and made the right decision. California, Colorado, Nevada, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Minnesota and New Mexico have all passed legislation providing universal free school meals. New York is one of the largest economies in the world. It is shameful that we are falling behind on providing food for our most vulnerable residents.

New Yorkers want this. Almost 90% of New Yorkers support funding free school meals for all students, and the proposal has bipartisan support in both the Senate and Assembly, from Western New York to Long Island. In today’s era of polarized politics, this kind of widespread support is almost unheard of, and it underscores how important this policy is for New Yorkers in every community.

Budget season is a time for compromise, but we will not bargain with our kids’ futures. Hungry kids cannot afford to wait, and no child should ever go to bed hungry.

That’s why we’re coming together to say loud and clear: The Legislature will not back down. New York must fund Healthy School Meals for All students this year.

State Sen. Michelle Hinchey, a Democrat, represents the 41st District, which includes Columbia and Greene Counties, and parts Dutchess and Ulster counties.

Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, a Democrat, represents the 34th District, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside in Queens.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NYS healthy school meals for all