Confirm the Education Fund as the Permanent Funding Source for Universal School Meals

From March 2020 to June 2022, the federal government made Universal School Meals available to all children in Vermont and around the country as part of their pandemic response. These past three years of Universal School Meals has proven the benefits of the program for students, families, schools, and staff. The federal waivers making this possible expired in the summer of 2022. Anticipating this, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed Act 151, indicating their commitment to continuing to make Universal School Meals available to all Vermont children.

The Alliance supports Hunger Free Vermont’s plan for ensuring that all public schools will be able to permanently provide meals for all children with the cost paid for by the Education Fund.

LEAD ORGANIZATION: Hunger Free Vermont

Talking Points

  • Universal School Meals improve student performance in Math and English Language Arts by up to 10 weeks of learning.
  • 96% of School Nutrition Professionals support permanent funding for Universal School Meals.
  • Prior to the pandemic, 64% of VT schools already providing Universal School Meals had increased their local food purchasing as a result.

 

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