Gillibrand Visits Rush-Henrietta Senior High School, Discusses Her Legislation To Provide Free Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner To All Students

Gillibrand Visits Rush-Henrietta Senior High School, Discusses Her Legislation To Provide Free Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner To All Students

Oct 4, 2024

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited Rush-Henrietta Senior High School to meet with school leaders and discuss her legislation to provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all schoolchildren regardless of income. The bill would also expand access to free meals over the summer and eliminate school meal debt.

Free school meals are associated with a variety of positive outcomes, including improved attendance rates and school performance, fewer behavioral incidents, lower suspension rates, better health outcomes, and reduced financial stress for students and families.Rush-Henrietta Central School District is one of many districts in New York State that is able to offer free school meals because of the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP reimburses schools in low-income communities for providing free breakfast and lunch to all enrolled students. In 2022, Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, advocated directly to Congressional leadership to expand Community Eligibility for high needs schools.

"In the richest country on earth, it is unacceptable that millions of kids go hungry each day. I'm proud that so many New York schools - including Rush-Henrietta High - already provide free meals for kids, but we must do more. The Universal School Meals Program Act would provide funding for free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack for all students nationwide and slash burdensome red tape for school administrators," said Senator Gillibrand. "This bill would make our families and communities healthier and stronger, keep kids in school, and work to fight the stigma too often associated with meal programs. I look forward to passing this critical legislation so every child in the United States has the food they need to succeed."

The Universal School Meals Program Act would:

1. Permanently provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to all schoolchildren regardless of income and put an end to burdensome application paperwork that poses a barrier to enrollment in meal programs.
2. Increase the reimbursement rates for school authorities participating in the food and nutrition programs to more accurately reflect the true cost of providing meals.
3. Reduce stigma associated with meal programs by eliminating meal debt and prohibiting school food authorities from discriminating against or overtly identifying a child participating in the free meal program.
4. Expand the summer food service program and Summer EBT program by making all children eligible to participate in the programs. Currently, only communities where 50 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch can operate a summer meals program; the Universal School Meals Program Act would make all communities eligible regardless of income.

Senator Gillibrand is a longstanding champion for childhood nutrition. She leads the bipartisan MODERN WIC Act, which would make WIC benefits more accessible to low-income families by allowing them to certify and recertify for WIC services remotely. She also leads the bipartisan Summer Meals Act, which would provide meals to children and teens in low-income areas during the summer months when school is not in session.

A summary of the Universal School Meals Program Act is available here.

Gillibrand was joined by Superintendent of the Rush-Henrietta Central School District Dr. Barbara Mullen and Vice President of the Monroe County School Boards Association Scott Adair.

"Food insecurity is a real challenge for many in our community," said Dr. Barbara Mullen, Superintendent of the Rush-Henrietta Central School District in suburban Rochester. "This issue impacts many students, so the idea of expanding universal feeding is a critical area of discussion. With 5,400 students from incredibly diverse backgrounds, Rush-Henrietta would benefit from a national effort to expand access to meals. Research - and our own experience - shows us that students who are adequately fed are able to achieve and dream at higher levels. Our students are capable of so much, we want them to reach their full potential. This type of legislation would help school districts and local communities address the needs of the whole child, allowing them to flourish in ways that some of them simply cannot right now."

"The Monroe County School Boards Association is proud to support the Universal School Meals Program Act, as our membership believes that every child in America should have access to nutritious meals, regardless of income. Food insecurity remains a devastating reality for millions of children in the United States and certainly within Monroe County. Having a meal every day shouldn't be a worry for any child, and this bill takes a significant step toward helping to alleviate that issue," said Amy J. Thomas, Executive Director of the Monroe County School Boards Association. "By ensuring universal access to healthy meals, the Universal School Meals Program Act will not only combat hunger but also remove the stigma associated with receiving free or reduced-price meals, creating a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. It also offers support to families who are struggling to make ends meet by eliminating the financial burden of school meal costs. In addition, eliminating school meal debt will ease financial strains on both families and schools. We commend Senator Gillibrand for her advocacy of the Universal School Meals Program Act as we believe this legislation will promote the health and well-being of our children, foster educational equity, and build a brighter future for all."

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