FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | May 12, 2023
Contact: Adam Keigwin | akeigwin@actumllc.com | 916-256-5758
No Kid Hungry California Celebrates Governor Newsom’s Continued Commitment to Universal School Meals in the May Budget Revision
Sacramento, Calif. – No Kid Hungry California Director Kathy Saile today praised Governor Gavin Newsom’s updated state budget proposal, which includes an additional $301 million from Proposition 98 General Fund to fully fund school nutrition programming for the fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24. This allocation raises the total ongoing budget for the Universal School Meals program to about $1.5 billion, complementing the projected $2.6 billion in federal meal reimbursements for local educational agencies.
Significantly, the revised budget also earmarks $47 million, including $23.5 million from the General Fund, for outreach and automation costs to phase in the new federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program. This important initiative, starting in summer 2024, will benefit children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.
“School meals are more than just food; they are a vital component in propelling our children’s academic performance,” Saile said. “We applaud Governor Newsom for acknowledging the significance of universal school meals and persisting in his commitment to providing the essential ongoing funding to tackle food insecurity. This enables our children to flourish in the classroom. The fortification of school nutrition staff and meal programs, including the Summer EBT program, is key to bridging the disparities faced by students in need.”
Additionally, we extend our thanks to the First Partner for her unwavering advocacy and prioritizing children’s access to healthy school meals. Her contributions are making a difference in our mission to alleviate child hunger.
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at nokidhungry.org.
Last Reviewed: May 15, 2023