Happy holidays from No Kid Hungry Michigan!
As we enter this time of rest to prepare for the new year, we are also reflecting on the highlights and changes from the past twelve months. Across Michigan, our partners and supporters have worked tirelessly to make sure that Michigan kids have the nutrition they need to grow and thrive, 365 days a year. Join us in celebrating our shared wins and looking ahead to how we will continue our fight to ensure no kid in Michigan goes hungry.
Reflecting on 2023
- In summer 2023, Michigan was able to implement summer rural non-congregate meals. While many students look forward to the summer months, losing access to school meals can also mean losing a key source of nutrition. Establishing the ability to provide to-go meals greatly increases access to summer meals, making sure that Michigan kids are able to access healthy meals all year.
- For the 2023-2024 school year, Michigan is able to offer school meals at no-cost to every PK-12 student in Michigan public schools. Allowing all students to access no-cost school meals can reduce stigma, support students who are falling through the gaps, and improve students’ health outcomes.
Looking Forward
Despite these wins, we know that our work is not over. As we look ahead to 2024, we remain committed to ensuring that every kid has 3 meals a day, 365 days a year. For us at No Kid Hungry Michigan, that means…
- Continuing to advocate for actionable policy changes at the federal level to improve nutrition access by modernizing the summer meals program, supporting nationwide summer EBT, strengthening SNAP, expanding no-cost school meals, and improving WIC.
- Supporting child nutrition programs like school, afterschool and summer meals by providing critical resources to school districts like grant dollars, trainings, and resources.
- Working to ensure the passage of legislation to make Michigan Healthy School Meals for All a permanent program.
Finally, we want to reiterate our thanks for you and your support. To our partners, community organizations, school nutrition staff, and other supporters, none of this work can be accomplished without our shared commitment to make No Kid Hungry a reality. We wish you a happy and healthy 2024.