Healthy School Meals for All In Arizona Study from ASU and AZFBN
We are now in the final stretch of the Arizona Legislative Session, which means one thing: budget negotiations. Our #1 priority for this year’s budget is the inclusions of funding to cover the copays for free and reduced price school lunches, so that ALL children in Arizona can access the food they need. Healthy school meals for all have been on our priority list since all the way back at Lutheran Day at the Legislature, and even though Rep. Gutierrez (LD18) introduced an appropriations bill, the legislature has yet taken care of this funding necessity. Gov. Hobbs has included school meal funding in her budget proposal; now we have to make sure that our lawmakers also include it!
Healthy School Meals for All in Arizona
This week, we hope you will take some time to review an insightful study conducted by Arizona State University, the Arizona Food Bank Network and other partners! This study dives into school meals in Arizona, including cost scenarios, needs assessments, and a wide range of community perspectives. We encourage you to explore this study for yourself and learn how to enhance your own advocacy for Arizona’s children.
Our favorite highlights from this study include…
In Arizona, 52% of students in schools operating the National School Lunch Program (run by the USDA) qualified for free or reduced price lunch.
More than 12 million meals were made available to low income students! These meals supported everyone from young students in early development to students preparing to graduate high school.
The price to continue covering these meal copays is just $0.70 per day per eligible student — totaling $4.5 million for the school year.
Across all demographics interviewed, regardless of race, political affiliation, or economic status, the vast majority of Arizonans support free school meals for all!
Learn more about the ways school meals support young Arizonans and alleviate childhood hunger! Thank you for your advocacy and curiosity!
