Gov. Hochul announces support for fully funded universal school meals

Today, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York announced her support for fully funding healthy school meals for all, or universal school meals, in the FY2026 State Budget.

We commend the Governor's efforts to make healthy school meals accessible for all New York children. Not only does this policy ensure equitable access to free school meals, but it is an important step toward improving diet quality, food security, and academic performance for students in New York. With this policy, New York will join California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont by becoming the ninth state in the nation to offer school meals to all students at no cost.

For years, CSPI has worked with state and local advocates across the country to pass policies to improve the nutritional quality of and increase access to school meals. Additionally, CSPI is a coalition partner of universal school meals campaigns in nearly a dozen states. We would like to applaud the New York Healthy School Meals for All Coalition, led by Community Food Advocates and Hunger Solutions NY, for tirelessly leading the campaign to improve healthy school meal access for NY kids over the last three years.

The Coalition's advocacy contributed to historic investments in the FY2024 and FY2025 State Budgets which dramatically expanded access to school meals across the state. However, advocates estimate that approximately 280,000 students, primarily on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley, areas with high costs of living and stark economic inequalities, remained without access to free school meals. Governor Hochul's investment in the FY2026 State Budget will close this access gap and ensure that ALL New York students enjoy access to free healthy school meals.

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