Governor Andrew Cuomo gives his State of the State address on Wednesday (on WXXI Radio & TV at 1 p.m.), with one of his proposals aimed at making sure students are well-nourished.
Cuomo revealed his “No Student Goes Hungry” program on Wednesday and it has five ways that the Governor wants to help the nearly 1 million kids from kindergarten to college that the state says don’t have consistent access to nutritious food.
“This program is essential to the success of future New York leaders and this administration remains committed to removing barriers to healthy food options, while providing a supportive, effective learning environment for students across this great state,” Cuomo said in a statement.
The governor wants to ban lunch shaming, the action where schools call out students for not having enough money for lunch. The state says some districts have made students wear a bracelet or sticker, have announced their name on a loud speaker, have given the student an alternative lunch, or go without a meal.
The plan also calls for schools to offer breakfast for a longer period of time. The Governor wants schools with more than 70 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch to provide breakfast after the school day has started. The state would spend $7 million to expand breakfast statewide.
Other parts of the plan:
- Expand the Farm to School program that connects schools with local farmers in order to feed kids locally-sourced food
- Increase the use of farm-fresh, locally grown foods by increasing reimbursements schools already receive to incentivize districts to use these foods
- Require food pantries for SUNY and CUNY schools – New York would be the first state to require that every public campus have a food pantry.