Children can’t learn when they are hungry JOIN THE MOVEMENT to make Healthy School Meals for All a reality.

We’ve Done It

During the pandemic, we kept MILLIONS of children and families across the U.S. from going hungry by providing school meals at no cost. No income limits, no forms, no questions asked. It’s our job to bring these meals back and make sure that no student goes hungry during the school day.

Why We Need To

For children to succeed in school, it is essential that they have a healthy lunch and a healthy breakfast. A hungry child cannot learn.

Now that the federal funding is gone, many children are falling through the cracks. Whether their parents make slightly too much money to qualify, whether forms are not filled out, or because of the stigma[1] of being labeled “the poor kid” children are not eating. We have the opportunity to change all of that with this legislation. We know this legislation works, a meta-analysis published by the NIH noted that when schools offered healthy school meals for all they, “found positive associations with diet quality, food security, and academic performance[2]. This meta-analysis also outlines positive association in BMI and possibly improves in household income particularly for low-income families[3].

This legislation is a great equalizer for Maryland children, to start them out on the right foot for good nutrition and to make sure they are fed for success in school.

We would never think of charging a child to ride the bus or for textbooks, why would we charge them for lunch or breakfast - a necessity they need to succeed in school? Let’s keep our kids fed for success!

For more information or to get involved, contact Laura Hale, State Government Relations Director.