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Massachusetts Congressman James P. McGovern is among those praising the legislature’s recent approval of universal free school meals for all students in the state.
He praised Haverhill Rep. Andy X. Vargas, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, Senate President Karen E. Spilka and Sen. Sal DiDomenico, Project Bread and the Feed Kids Coalition that advocated for passage.
“I’m extra proud to be from Massachusetts today. In our Commonwealth, under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll administration, we recognize that our kids are 100% of our future. They should be learning, growing and thriving—not worrying about where their next meal will come from or how to pay their lunch debt. If signed into law, free universal school meals will literally change lives, full stop. No child in Massachusetts will ever have to wonder how to get though the school day on an empty stomach,” McGovern said in a statement.
As WHAV reported recently, Haverhill students already qualify for healthy meals every school day at no cost to them. Haverhill Public Schools reported it is participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program due to the Community Eligibility Provision for school year 2023-2024. Students will be able to get breakfast and lunch at school without having to pay a fee or submit a household application.
McGovern said he is pushing to take the state policy nationwide, building on the momentum of last year’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. He added, “The promise of this country ought to be that no child ever goes hungry in any school.”