Expanding healthy, nutritious meals for all kids
Last month, I introduced the Summer Meals Act of 2024 alongside my colleagues Mary Peltola (D-AK) and Chris Smith (R-NJ). This bipartisan bill aims to fight childhood hunger by expanding students' access to healthy, nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months.
Kids should be focused on learning and getting good grades instead of worrying about where their next meal will come from. One in six children in Washington state faces hunger. With schools out, summer months are especially hard for children in low-income and underserved communities. The Summer Meals Act builds partnerships and breaks down barriers to ensure children in the Pacific Northwest and across the country get regular, healthy meals, regardless of the season.
The Summer Meals Act will:
- Allow site sponsors to operate year-round, enabling Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) participants to operate more efficiently;
- Lower the area eligibility threshold from 50 percent to 40 percent, allowing areas with at least 40 percent of students receiving free or reduced lunch to participate in the SFSP;
- Allow summer meal sites to serve three, rather than two, meals per day; and
- Fund grants to encourage innovative meal delivery, such as through mobile meal trucks, to help increase food access for children in rural and underserved areas.
When we put our values first, we can continue to introduce bipartisan bills like this one.
More soon,
Rick
