Global Initiatives Expand Free School Meals

Several initiatives across the globe are addressing child hunger by providing free meals to students during school terms and summer breaks. IDEA Public Schools in Texas will offer free breakfast and lunch to all students under the Community Eligibility Provision for the 2024-25 school year. Programs like Operation Food Search in St. Louis and the Lowcountry Food Bank in Horry County are ensuring children have access to nutritious meals even when schools are closed. In Lincolnshire and South London, councils are advocating for or implementing free meal programs to combat food insecurity exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis. Meanwhile, the UK government is establishing a taskforce to tackle child poverty and has committed to providing free breakfast clubs in all primary schools. Nonprofits in Tokyo and Manatee County are also stepping up, offering creative solutions like morning exercise programs with meal distribution and celebrating milestones in their summer meal programs.