Topline
Universal access to free school lunches will come to an end in the coming weeks, after expanded federal funding passed during the early part of the pandemic was not renewed in the latest spending bill, a change that could impact around 10 million children.
Pandemic need made the dream universal free school lunch a reality, but it will soon come to an end. … [+]
Key Facts
Universal access to free school lunches will come to an end in the coming weeks, after expanded federal funding passed during the early part of the pandemic was not renewed in the latest spending bill, a change that could impact around 10 million children.
The Universal School Meals Program Act was passed last year to ensure that every child had free lunch regardless of income, after the onset of the pandemic brought more food insecurity to homes, but the program was on the chopping block when Congress cut back pandemic-era spending in the 2022 budget.
Though the program was set to expire on June 30, 2022, just days before expiring President Joe Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act that kept summer food programs funded through September 30, and the nutritional meals program through June 30, 2023.
The Keep Kids Fed Act resulted from a compromise after Republicans refused to extend the Universal School Meals Program earlier this year, arguing it was always intended to be temporary help during the pandemic.
Last year, Data For Progress, a progressive polling firm, found that 44% of Americans strongly support permanently extending the Universal Free Meals program.
BIG NUMBER
$30 billion. That’s how much Boston’s NPR news station, WBUR, reported that the USDA spent—$11 billion more than their free and reduced lunch program—on universal free meals.
CONTRA
Because school closures have ended, some Republicans believe universal free lunches, among other pandemic-era provisions, were no longer a necessity, an aide to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel told The Washington Post.
KEY BACKGROUND
The federally assisted National School Lunch Program was established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act in 1946. As of 2016, the program fed 30.4 million students at public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions at low or no cost. Summer meal programs were also available to children during June, July and August. Before the waiver, to qualify for free lunch, a family of three had to have a gross income that’s 130% or less of the poverty line, which is about $28,550. To qualify for reduced lunch, families had to have a gross income between 130% and 185% of that amount. In 2020, 13.8 million households were food insecure—meaning they were uncertain on how they’d acquire enough food to feed their household sometimes—compared to 116.7 million food secure households. According to data from the USDA, 14.8% of households with children experienced food insecurity in 2020 after a 10-year decline.
TANGENT
Through the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the Obama Administration allowed the USDA to authorize schools in poverty-stricken school districts to automatically qualify for free school lunch.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The Washington Post reported that two members of Congress will introduce legislation that increases eligibility for school lunches.
FURTHER READING
Universal free school lunch program is set to expire (The Washington Post)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/darreonnadavis/2022/07/22/universal-free-school-lunches-will-end-soon-after-cuts-to-pandemic-era-spending/