Schools are now starting to open back up for the 2022-2023 school year. With the sudden rise in food prices, inflation, and food insecurity following the pandemic, many families continue to face many hardships. In an attempt to resolve the issue, policymakers in California came up with the Universal Meals Program.
What is the Universal Meals Program? The Universal Meals Program was designed to provide free meals to students attending schools. Children are able to receive free meals every day they are in school. The meals provided are for breakfast and lunch, hosted at the school’s cafeteria. This program benefits both educational districts and families impacted by the current food insecurity situation.
California’s Universal Meals Program is part of the Assembly Bill 130, which was signed into law by the state governor, Gavin Newsom. All of the students are eligible to receive these meals regardless of status and household income. California is the first state to implement such a program. The state of Maine has also opted in and have implemented the Universal Meals Program as well.
Thanks to this program, many of us won’t have to worry about our kids going hungry while they’re at school. Hopefully, other states will do the same for their students as well. It would make a huge difference in many people’s lives, especially our kids’.
The Aloha Koa 