Time Magazine published a riveting report about the upcoming expiration of meal waivers introduced during the pandemic in response to the millions of families suddenly experiencing economic hardship and food insecurity. The waivers went over well; billions of meals went to feed hungry kids. However the federal funding is set to expire, leaving families stranded, and politicians scrambling:
“Now, a handful of Senators have introduced a bipartisan bill to extend the waivers through the 2023 school year—but its future is uncertain. Supporters need sixty votes to pass the measure, which is expected to cost $11 billion. While Democrats, including centrist Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin are on board, only two Republicans have signed on.
The stakes are high. If the bipartisan bill is not enacted, schools will have fewer funds to prepare meals under stricter nutritional guidelines and hundreds of thousands of school children in America won’t have access to the meals they’ve now relied on for years.”
The article also expands into additional issues schools are facing, such as supply chain shortages and rising food costs. At La Comadre we believe a hungry child cannot learn, and there’s no reason for any child to go hungry in a country with resources as great as ours. Politicians need to cut through the red tape and supply all students with nutritious meals. Are you satisfied with the quality of food at your school? How do you think schools and communities can approach making sure all kids have access to healthy meals?