The Healthy School Meals for All New York Kids Coalition Celebrates Back to School with the Inaugural Year of Statewide Free School Meals
Albany, New York—New York’s 2.7 million students are starting the new school year with the most important school supply—free breakfast and lunch every school day. The 2025-2026 school year is the inaugural year of the state-funded universal free school meals program established in the FY2026 Enacted Budget. This new statewide program will alleviate child hunger while also saving families an estimated $165 per child per month in food costs.
The Healthy School Meals for All New York Kids Coalition—a group of more than 350 nonprofits, parent and teacher groups, labor unions, education associations, and anti-hunger organizations—worked closely with state leaders to make universal free school meals a reality in New York.
Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Our work to bring free breakfast and lunch to every student in every school across New York State is one of the greatest public goods we’ve secured for children and families. Universal School Meals has the power to transform a student’s daily experience, making school a place where kids can focus on learning and growing without stigma or shame, while creating real financial savings for parents that can support other family needs. I am deeply proud to sponsor the Universal School Meals Act and to have led this historic initiative in the Senate alongside Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas and our statewide coalition of partners.”
“As our students returned to school this week, I reflected on how grateful I am to have worked alongside the Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids coalition to pass Universal School Meals. In New York, our children come first, and ensuring they are well-nourished during the school year is essential. Achieving this was no small feat—I worked tirelessly with advocates, unions and colleagues for years to make it happen. At a time when education is under attack and social services are being stripped away, I’m proud that New York remains vigilant in protecting and supporting our children,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.
“This school year, New York students will receive the fuel they need to learn and grow,” said Andrés Vives, Chief Executive Officer of Hunger Solutions New York, co-lead of the Healthy School Meals for All New York Kids Coalition. “As the ninth state to enact a universal school meals policy, New York has sent a strong message: our state will prioritize investments that safeguard kids from hunger and ensure they are well-nourished and able to thrive.”
“Providing free meals for all students is a proven strategy to reduce food insecurity, improve mental and physical health, support learning, and provide meaningful financial relief for families,” said Liz Accles, Executive Director of Community Food Advocates, co-lead of the Healthy School Meals for All New York Kids Coalition. “This policy will have an immediate and lasting impact on students and families in every corner of the state.”
The Healthy School Meals for All New York Kids Coalition applauds Governor Kathy Hochul and Senate and Assembly leaders for prioritizing this critical investment and commitment to New York’s students, families, and schools.
For additional stakeholder quotes following the passage of universal school meals in the FY2026 state budget, visit the Coalition’s May press release.
_________________________________________________________________________________
About the Healthy School Meals for All New York Kids Coalition
The Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids Coalition is a group of more than 350 nonprofits, parent and teacher groups, labor unions, education associations, and anti-hunger organizations led by Hunger Solutions New York and Community Food Advocates.
Community Food Advocates (CFA) is a New York City nonprofit that advocates to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to healthy, affordable, culturally affirming foods within a sustainable and equity-centered food system. In 2017, CFA led a coalition of over 200 organizations and elected officials to secure universal free school lunch (UFL) for all of New York City’s 1.1 million public school students. The campaign, Lunch 4 Learning (L4L), has since built on the foundation of city-wide universal free school lunch with high-impact policy changes.
Hunger Solutions New York is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating hunger. Hunger Solutions New York provides outreach and technical assistance to maximize school meals and other federal nutrition assistance programs across the state. The organization also advocates for state and federal policies to strengthen and expand the reach of federal nutrition programs in New York.
__________________________________________________________________________________
-30-
