Over the 2023-2024 school year, school nutrition professionals, advocates, and community members worked together to make sure that students across the state had access to the food they needed to learn, play, and grow. As the school year wraps, No Kid Hungry New York is celebrating some of the many wins and steps forward this school year, from exceptional school meals programs to exciting new numbers showing statewide progress.
By the Numbers
- Eighty eight percent of students in National School Lunch Program (NSLP) schools in New York State now receive school meals at no cost. That means 2.53 million students now have access to no cost meals every school day!
- In the first six months of the school year (September 2023 – February 2024), school meal participation in New York State increased by 12%! This translates to ten million additional breakfasts and eighteen million additional lunches served.
Sharing Your Stories
We were thrilled to highlight the school meals programs of five of our grantees through our No Kid Hungry New York Partner Spotlight series. The school nutrition professionals featured in these spotlights are finding ways to innovate, connect with students and families, and reach more students with nutritious meals to keep them fueled throughout the school year. Check them out below.
Prioritizing Child Nutrition
This school year, we’ve seen New York legislators and budgetmakers take additional steps towards ending child hunger in our state. From Governor Hochul securing state funding for Summer EBT, to New York City Council including an additional $20 million towards school meals, our elected officials are directing resources towards kids and families.
With an estimated 19% of children in New York facing food insecurity, we still have a long way to go. But together, we know that we can reach #NoKidHungry.