We’re building a growing coalition of organizations and community partners committed to expanding access to school meals across New Jersey. Together, we’re showing legislators and state leaders the broad support for School Meals for All and the importance of ensuring every child has access to nutritious meals at school.
Every child in New Jersey deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, and that starts with access to nutritious food. School meals play a critical role in reducing childhood hunger, supporting healthy development, and ensuring students are ready to learn each day. For the 270,000+ children in New Jersey facing food insecurity, school breakfast and lunch are not simply convenient; they are essential. Yet many students miss out on school meals because of income thresholds, paperwork barriers, and stigma.
The current structure, which separates students by household income and ability to pay, creates unnecessary obstacles for families and school districts. It can discourage participation, burden school staff with administrative work, and leave families struggling to keep up with meal costs. School Meals for All is a practical, effective solution that supports students’ academic success, health, and overall well-being. It is an investment in New Jersey’s children, families, and communities.
We, the undersigned organizations, stand together in support of policies that provide free school meals to all New Jersey students and call on state leaders to make this vision a reality.
