September 12, 2013

All NYC Public School Children Should Have Access to Free School Lunch!

Did you know that New York City could make school lunch free for all students? It is true – federal law allows New York City to make healthy school lunches universally free for every public school student. But, New York City is not taking advantage of this great opportunity.

The need for universally free school lunches is clear. One in every four New York City children lives in a home that lacks enough food. The consequences of childhood hunger are dire: hunger negatively impacts children’s learning and health.

School meals are a critical tool in the fight against hunger. But, because of the way the program is currently administered, only about 50% of NYC children eligible for free or reduced-price lunch eat it. A primary reason children do not participate in the free or reduced-price lunch program is because eating free school lunch often carries stigma. Children do not want to be labeled the “poor” kid.

In addition, some income-eligible children are not enrolled in the free or reduced-price lunch program because their parents do not submit the paperwork. Many of these parents are concerned about sharing personal financial information, or do not know about the program.

Making lunch universally free to all students eliminates all of these barriers and ensures all NYC public school children have access to a healthy lunch.

CCC believes that the city’s future Mayor and city leaders must make universal school lunch a reality! Universal lunch will require only a small investment, but will result in an enormous gain. We have joined the “Lunch 4 Learning” Campaign to call much-needed attention to this issue.

You can help ensure New York City’s school children get to eat a healthy lunch every day by signing this petition.

You can also learn more about the “Lunch 4 Learning” campaign on their web site and see how you can get involved.

Tags
lunch 4 learning, universal school lunch, Economic Security

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