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SCHOOL MEALS

In the 2022-23 School Year (SY), California became the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for all school children. Since since implementing the program where ALL school-aged children in California eat school breakfast and lunch at no cost, the number of meals served and kids eating have increased. According to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), in SY2018-19, the state served 816 million meals. The amount increased to 831 million meals in SY2022-23 and 876 million meals in 2023-24.

Schools are at the center of our communities and our kids’ lives. That’s why school meal programs are at the heart of No Kid Hungry.

School Breakfast

The School Breakfast Program (SBP), created in 1975 is a federally-funded program operated by school districts across the country to facilitate making a balanced breakfast more accessible for all students. Despite the benefits of school breakfast, nationally, the program is underutilized – over 22 million kids get a free or reduced-price school lunch on an average school day, yet only 12 million of those kids get a free or reduced-price school breakfast.

Participation in traditional school breakfast can be hindered by many factors, including:

  • Transportation: The school bus doesn’t arrive with enough time for students to get breakfast in the cafeteria and eat it before school starts.
  • Busy mornings: Many families can be rushed in the mornings and don’t always have enough time to eat breakfast at home.
  • Stigma: There is often a stigma associated with eating breakfast in the cafeteria before school starts; therefore, children avoid it, especially middle- and high-school students, for whom social status and the perceptions of their peers loom large.
  • Lack of resources: For many families, unreliable housing and lack of access to healthcare could be why there simply may not be enough food at home for kids to have a nutritious breakfast.

33%

of students eligible for free or reduced price meals eat school breakfast.

Solving the Problem

We know that students who participate in school breakfast have better focus, higher achievements in reading and math, and attend school more regularly. That’s why we work to increase participation as part of our strategy to end childhood hungry by incorporating Breakfast After the Bell (BAB). We provide schools with necessary technical expertise, trainings, and grants, collaborating on the ways to increase the number of kids by incorporating breakfast as part of the school day.

Learn more about Breakfast After the Bell models like Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), Second Chance Breakfast, and Grab-and-Go to the Classroom. 

School Lunch

School lunch offers students a healthy, balanced meal that they can rely upon during the school day. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is the nation’s second largest food and nutrition assistance program and feeds more than 30 million children each day. Healthy school lunches boost academic performance, foster a more equitable learning environment, and closes the opportunity gap for children across the country.

Solving the Problem

At No Kid Hungry, we know that one of the best ways to ensure that students who rely on school meals have access to them is by removing any barriers for students to access them. We collaborate with schools as well as state and county agencies to look specifically at several federal funding options such as Provision 2 and Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). We collaborate with school nutrition services and state and county agencies to share best practices, provide grants, technical assistance, and peer-to-peer support to school districts adopting or expanding CEP. 

57%

of students eligible for free or reduced price meals eat school lunch.

CALFRESH (SNAP)

CalFresh, also known nationally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is the largest federal nutrition program in the United States, feeding roughly 40 million people each year. It is also the largest and most effective child anti-hunger program, with nearly half of SNAP recipients being children and two-thirds of SNAP benefits going to households with children. CalFresh provides monthly benefits to help support family’s food budgets to ensure they are receiving adequate nutrition.

CalFresh Helps Kids & Schools:

  • At home: Spend less time worrying about getting food on the table and more time to spend with their family.
  • At school: Students enrolled in CalFresh are directly enrolled for free school meals, SUN Bucks, and other educational benefit programs.
  • In the classroom: When students consistently get the food they need, it leads to lower rates of chronic absenteeism, stronger academic achievement and fewer health and behavioral issues.
  • School nutrition budgets: CalFresh can help school budgets and reduce administrative burdens.

50%

of CalFresh participants are families wih children. (FRAC)

Solving the Problem

When kids are enrolled in CalFresh, they get the food they need to grow and succeed both at school and at home, but many eligible families may not know they qualify or how to sign up. No Kid Hungry partners with state, county, schools, and community organizations to bring awareness, dispel myths, and connect families to CalFresh.

School districts can play an important role in supporting access to CalFresh as a trusted source of information for students and families. An added benefit is that increasing CalFresh access supports the the entire school and local economy. Families can learn more about benefits, eligibility, and apply online www.BenefitsCal.com or visit their county social services agency.

We have partnered with mRelief to ensure eligible families living in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties are connected to vital food assistance resources like CalFresh.

  • Orange County families can check their CalFresh eligibility by texting FOOD OC or COMIDA OC to 74544
  • Riverside and San Bernardino County families can check their CalFresh eligibility by texting FOOD IE or COMIDA IE to 74544

Learn more about our CalFresh in Schools Outreach work.

SUMMER MEALS

Summer has traditionally been the hungriest time for kids because many of the meals they receive in school disappear. When the last bell rings at the end of the school year, millions of children are cut off from the healthy meals they get each day at school. Summer meals are not reaching all kids. Without reliable sources of healthy food throughout the summer, more kids experiencing food insecurity are at risking of returning to school further behind academically, which can have exponential ramifications year after year.

Summer is a time for connection, exploration, and fun. That’s why we are dedicated to ensuring kids and teens, particularly in rural areas across the state, have access to summer meal programs.

Summer Meals are:

  • Available for any kid or teen up to age 18
  • Available at no cost
  • Require no paperwork, signups, or eligibility confirmation
  • Fun! Many programs incorporate enrichment opportunities like art projects, sports, and science experiments in addition to serving meals

Solving the Problem

To fill this hunger gap between the school year and summer, we partner with many schools and community organizations across California operate summer meal programs to provide food to kids at no cost. No Kid Hungry collaborates with school districts and community organizations across the U.S. to help close the summer hunger gap. Through convening state and federal officials, community leaders and parents to share ideas and work together on ways to feed kids during summer, we also provide grants and technical support. Learn more about our summer work supporting rural kids and their families.

SUN BUCKS (SUMMER EBT)

In 2023, Congress approved a huge investment in summer meals programs for kids, including a nationwide summer grocery benefit program called Summer EBT (SEBT), offering states the option to implement a crucial tool to ensure kids get the nutrition they need when school cafeterias close.

In California, we call it SUN Bucks! This new program provides eligible families with additional grocery benefits-$40 for June, July, and August ($120 total). SUN Bucks works together with existing food assistance programs like summer meals programs and rural non-congregate meal service. The impact is clear; it’s projected that Summer EBT was able to, nationally, reach 30 million kids last year.

Solving the Problem

SUN Bucks gives parents and caregivers the flexibility to purchase food directly at grocery stories, farmers markets and other authorized EBT retailers. We are focused on supporting the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and California Department of Education (CDE) in building out the new program, as well as raising awareness and connecting eligible kids and families to this new program. Learn more about SUN Bucks here.

Last updated: March 13, 2025