State Senator Andrew Gounardes
With the start of a new legislative session, my colleagues in the New York State legislature and I have begun negotiating the annual state budget—a document outlining roughly $252 billion in spending priorities that reflect our values and needs. This year, we’ve scored an important win on behalf of children across the state: a commitment to universal free school meals in the Governor’s executive budget proposal. This commitment is for every student, in every school setting.
Hunger is a daily problem for nearly a million students across New York. We know students experiencing hunger struggle to focus, have lower attendance rates, and are at significantly higher risk of developing mental and physical health problems. In New York City alone, statistics have shown that providing free school meals to all students improved math and reading test scores. And by making free school meals universal, we remove the stigma of receiving them; that means less bullying, and an improvement in students’ relationships and self-esteem, both crucial factors in childhood development.
There are millions of families across New York whose lives would be changed by knowing their children can eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast and lunch at school each day for free. I know because I’ve spoken with them at length about how they feel the pinch in their pockets each day as they struggle to make ends meet. This is a big fight, and one that I am glad to be fighting alongside The Sephardic Community Federation, and community leaders like Sam Sutton.
More New York children are struggling with unpaid lunch debt than ever before. Our proposal would save families an average of $165 on groceries per child every month; that’s nearly $4,000 in savings per year for a family with two school-aged children. That’s game-changing money that could go towards essentials like school supplies, healthcare, rent, transportation, and clothing.
With just a tiny fraction of the state budget, we could transform the lives of millions of working families: $340 million—0.1% of the proposed state budget—would fully fund free school meals for all students across New York State. Many states have already taken similar steps, and it’s time for New York to follow their lead.
Up in Albany, it’s one of a number of measures to ease families’ financial burdens that I’m fighting hard to include in the state budget. From Healthy School Meals for All program to my Working Families Tax Credit— which would give families across the state up to $1,600 per child to help make ends meet—fighting to make life more affordable on an everyday basis is my top priority, and I’m committed to seeing it through.
I’m committed to doing everything I can to fully fund the Healthy School Meals For All program in this year’s budget. Together with SCF Leadership, we’ll change the daily reality for children across New York, because no matter how engaging the lesson or how experienced the teacher, students can’t learn if they’re hungry. It’s as simple as that.
Andrew Gounardes serves as the New York State Senator for Brooklyn’s 26th District. A lifelong Brooklynite, he is a strong advocate for transit safety, quality education, and supporting working families.
