The school year has began in California for many students and the state has announced that the state will offer free meals to all students according to CBS News. Before the 2022-2023 school year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law that establishes a universal meal program in the state. Under the law, all kindergarten through 12th grade public schools will provide two free meals – breakfast and lunch – during each school day to students requesting a meal. This will be provided regardless of the student’s free or reduced-price meal eligibility.

The state had already implemented a free or reduced-meal program in place, which was based on the child’s family household income.

Along with making free meals available for all public school students, the law will also provide $150 million in funding to support kitchen infrastructure upgrades and nutrition. This will also include staff training for districts preparing to implement the universal meals program.

According to CBS News:

Feeding America, a nonprofit that runs hundreds of food banks nationwide, projected that 13 million children may experience food insecurity in 2021. While this is a slight improvement from 2020, many families who faced food insecurity before the pandemic faced greater hardship after COVID-19 started. There are also racial disparities in food insecurity, and Feeding America projected 21% of Black individuals may have experienced food insecurity in 2021, compared to 11% of white individuals.

Through the National School Lunch Program, students from low-income households are eligible for free meals at all public schools. When New York City expanded its free meal program to all students, regardless of household income, even more participated – including students who were previously eligible for free lunches, but didn’t take them, according to research from Emily Gutierrez of Brown University’s Annenberg Institute.

At least one third of eligible children from low-income households didn’t participate in the past, because they don’t want to be looked at as poor and bullied according to Norm Fruchter, senior consultant for NYU’s Metro Center.

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