About 15 years ago, I was in a meeting with the superintendent of my community’s school district and I asked him why families had to pay for their kids’ meals while at school. If kids are required to attend school and are supplied with all the resources they need for their education, why was a line drawn when it came to the most important resource of all: food?
He didn’t have a clear answer on this then, and in his defense, no one else seemed to, either. It wasn’t until a global pandemic landed on our doorsteps that serious, intentional conversations started to take place about childhood hunger and the importance of school meals. Decision-makers across the political spectrum came together to ensure food was available to those who needed it. This bipartisan approach gave me hope that ending hunger was possible.
That hope was reignited when Gov. Laura Kelly announced in her State of the State address that she had included funding reduced-price co-pays in her budget. This means that students who receive reduced-price meals at school will no longer have to pay for their portion of their meal plan.
Instead, the state’s budget would cover these expenses.