05/09/2026
On Thursday, Rep Josh Gottheimer announced the Feed Our Kids Act, a proposed federal legislation that would provide free breakfast, lunch, and afterschool snacks to every student in K-12 public schools across America.
Hunger Free New Jersey's director, Lisa Pitz, joined community advocates, educators, and leaders to show support and speak about the importance of protecting and strengthening school nutrition programs at a time when many families are already struggling with rising food costs and economic uncertainty.
"Offering free school breakfast and lunch is the most effective, efficient, and equitable way to reduce childhood food insecurity," Lisa explained.
The would:
• Provide free breakfast, lunch, and afterschool snacks to every student in K-12 public schools across America.
• Eliminate unpaid meal debt from schools and remove burdensome application paperwork for qualifying families.
• Ensure meals are nutritious and locally sourced whenever possible.
• Extend meal access during summer break and sudden school closures so no child’s nutrition falls through the cracks.
• Eliminate the stigma associated with means-tested meal programs by making access universal.
• Require a congressional report on the impacts of free school meals and recommendations to strengthen nutritious, locally sourced meal access.
Thank you, Congressman, for continuing to elevate the issue of child hunger and the need for strong federal nutrition programs.
📸: Photo credit, John Snyder of Pascack Press
