Thank your legislators for making sure that Michigan children can access healthy school meals! 

Because of the work of advocates like you, the Michigan House and Senate both included funding for important healthy food programs in their budgets for the 2026-2027 school year! However, these effective and efficient programs still haven’t been made permanent, creating uncertainty for our school districts, families and local farmers. Join us in thanking our legislators for funding these programs and advocating for them to be made permanent!

In Michigan, one in six children are food insecure. When children face hunger, they are more likely to experience lower academic performance, behavioral issues, and physical and mental health challenges. As of 2021, nearly one in three young kids did not eat fruit daily, and almost half didn’t eat a daily vegetable. Our children deserve meals that not only fill their stomachs but meet their nutritional needs.

Two critical programs in our state help address these issues by providing access to healthy meals for students:

School Meals for All: For the past three years, our state has provided free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of school district or income level. Providing universal meals improves access to the service for all who need it, removes stigma and improves efficiency for schools.

10 Cents a Meal: Providing food alone is only part of it. We also need to ensure access to healthy foods. To boost the nutritional value of these meals, Michigan has funded a program that provided school districts an additional 10 cents for every meal that uses local, nutritious produce, ensuring that both our students and local farmers can thrive.