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Let's End Childhood Hunger.

By starting with what happens in schools

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two boys enjoying school lunch

Massachusetts becomes 8th state to make free School Meals for All students permanent

To all who have supported the passing of this life changing legislation — thank you. Your action, your advocacy, your generosity, and your encouragement since we launched the Feed Kids Campaign in 2021 are what made School Meals for All permanent. We did it!!!

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER IN MA

Thanks to you, we’ve secured Universal Free School Meals for K-12 students in Massachusetts. The School Meals for All bill is a life-changing piece of legislation that will ensure students start the day ready to learn with a reliable, nourishing meal - permanently. Project Bread is leading the campaign to end hunger in Massachusetts, and we need your help!

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We are making a difference

School Meals for All is Now Permanent

Currently, 1 in 3 households with children in Massachusetts face food insecurity. The Feed Kids Coalition and advocates across the state successfully lobbied Governor Healey and the Legislature to pass a permanent School Meals for All policy as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. This provides a solution that ensures, no matter what may be happening, students have access to school breakfast and lunch.  

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a boy sips milk with a muffin at his desk in the classroom

A Key Solution to Childhood Hunger

More Kids Are Eating School Meals Than Ever!

The impact is clear: more students are eating, more time is spent on learning, families save up to $1,400 per child each year, and the stigma of “free lunch” is gone.

As recent federal cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other basic needs programs strain state (and household) budgets, Massachusetts must continue to lead. With 1 in 3 kids facing food insecurity, free school meals are more essential than ever to ensure every child is nourished and ready to learn. 

Impact of USM In schools where meals weren’t previously free for all (October 2019-2024)

With School Meals for All

103,130 additional kids

eat school lunch daily

With School Meals for All

86,733 additional kids

eat school breakfast daily

“This has been an absolute game-changer for students. They are all used to having free meals and reverting to paid meals would be very detrimental to food service programs and low-income students.”

Doug Dias, Director of Finance and Operations, Marlborough Public Schools

Two girls sit together eating lunch in the cafeteria

Our Solution

School Meals for All

Universal school meals — school meals available at no-cost to every student — have benefits that extend far beyond the cafeteria. Research shows when a child is well fed, they perform better in school, are at lower risk for obesity, and adjust to social situations better. Additionally, by making meal access universal, we help remove stigma around economic status and family situation—creating a more equitable and just educational environment.

About our bill

What began at the start of 2021 in Massachusetts & Vermont has now become a nationwide push for School Meals for All.

This year, 5 states have continued providing universal free meals to all students, including Massachusetts. Currently, 8 states, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont, Michigan, and Massachusetts have passed laws to make School Meals for All permanent. Over 20 states have active campaigns for School Meals for All. This campaign was instrumental in making School Meals for All permanent in Massachusetts.

Feed Kids Map, updated March 16, 2023

Our Impact

Because of your advocacy and support of The Feed Kids Campaign, Massachusetts is 1 of only 8 states with permanent free School Meals for All students. This would not have happened without your advocacy!

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JOIN THE CAMPAIGN TO END CHILD HUNGER

By starting with what happens in schools

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