‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌Friends,
Kids can’t learn—can’t thrive —if they’re hungry in class.
That’s why I stood with Congressman Jamaal Bowman (who also happens to be a former school principal!) and State Senator Alessandra Biaggi in the Bronx yesterday to call on Congress to pass the Universal School Meals Program Act.
Our bill would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all school kids—and eliminate ALL school meal debt. I’m going to ask you to sign on as a Citizen Co-Sponsor of this game-changing legislation. [[link removed]] But first, let me explain why it’s so important.
*
Free
universal
school
meals
mean
healthier
kids.
They
reduce
childhood
hunger,
decrease
obesity
and
improve
nutrition
and
wellness.


*
Free
universal
school
meals
also
boost
learning
outcomes
in
students—improving
attendance
and
behavior,
and
enhancing
child
development.


*
They
would
eliminate
the
very
real,
and
very
harmful,
stigma
associated
with
qualifying
for
free
or
reduced
meals.
A
study
in
New
York
City
public
schools
found
that
one
in
three
students
would
choose
to
skip
lunch
altogether
rather
than
face
bullying
and
“lunch
shaming.”


*
Free
universal
school
meals
would
cut
red
tape,
promote
healthier,
local
food
options,
and
streamline
a
complex
system.


And finally, free universal school meals would address longstanding inequalities and even the playing field for all Americans. Prior to the pandemic, only children in households with incomes below 130% of the federal poverty level qualified for free school meals. That’s an annual household income of just $34,450 for a family of four. This qualification cutoff excludes huge swaths of the population who experience hunger and financial insecurity.
While the USDA announced just last month that it will continue to offer free school meals to all students through June 2022, we need to make this extension permanent.
We know that our country is stronger when we invest in our kids. If you agree that it’s time to make universal school meals permanent, please add your name to become a Citizen Co-Sponsor of our bill: [[link removed]]
Add your name! [[link removed]]
The pandemic has given us an opportunity to rethink the systems and structures that set the rules of this country. I believe it’s our responsibility to consider how we can, as President Biden says, “Build Back Better.” That starts with giving our kids—and their families—the best possible foundation to learn, grow and thrive.
Thank you for standing with me.
-Kirsten

Paid for by Gillibrand for Senate


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Washington, DC 20001

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