Permanent Free School Meals Celebrated In MA

MASSACHUSETTS — State officials gathered in a Quincy elementary school Thursday to celebrate Governor Maura Healy's administration's bill delivering permanent universal free school breakfast and lunch for K-12 students in Massachusetts.

"By delivering universal free meals, this administration is making clear that nothing is more important than ensuring our kids are fed, healthy, and ready to learn and play and grow," Governor Healey said at the press conference streaming from Snug Harbor Elementary School.

The 2024 budget that Governor Healey signed on Aug. 9 delivered $172 million in permanent state funding to provide universal free school meals for K-12 students. This funding, paired with federal reimbursement for meals, means that all students who attend schools that participate in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs are entitled to one free lunch and breakfast each school day.

"Universal free school meals are an investment in childhood nutrition, ensuring each of our school-aged students has access to the healthy food they need to fuel their learning," Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said at the conference. "This policy is also removing a source of stress from families and schools, leading to one less task for parents to complete in the morning, and making sure no student feels stigmatized or ashamed for accessing the food they need."

The program will cover the cost of one lunch and breakfast each day including fruit, vegetables and whole grains, as per the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs.

Universal free meals began as a national program with federal funding during the pandemic, and Massachusetts continued it on a trial basis. It is now one of the few states still offering universal free meals.

"Our families, schools and communities are stronger when kids don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from and when school staff don’t have to worry about whether their students are hungry," Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch said at the conference. "We are honored to welcome Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Speaker Mariano to Quincy today to celebrate this policy that will have widespread positive impacts for our city."