skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for the first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Children’s Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Extend School Meals for All

play audio
Play

Monday, March 28, 2022   

Federal COVID relief funds that helped expand access to school meals for all kids regardless of their ability to pay are set to expire in June, and children's advocates are urging Colorado lawmakers to make that investment permanent.

Ashley Wheeland - director of public policy at Hunger Free Colorado - said in addition to reducing child hunger and food insecurity, a new bill making its way through the Legislature will give food producers across the state access to a reliable customer base, and fair prices for their goods.

"It has some funding for school districts to purchase healthy, local food from our Colorado ranchers and Colorado farmers," said Wheeland. "And make sure that we're investing back into our state as we're investing in food for children."

Some critics of Senate Bill 87 argue that free meals could create government dependency, with others concerned about costs.

Wheeland noted the projected cost would be less than one third of 1% of the state's budget. She added when kids can access healthy, nutritious food, they do better in school, and are less likely to need assistance as adults because they are better equipped to get jobs that pay a living wage.

Many Colorado school districts that made meals available to all students last year saw upwards of 20% more kids getting meals. Proponents say removing application requirements and cash registers from cafeterias gives educators more time to focus on learning.

Wheeland said the program can also put an end to lunch-line shaming that low-income kids experience.

"They feel shamed and stigmatized when they have to get in the lunch line and show a card," said Wheeland. "We've had families who testified at the committee that their child came home with a number written on their arm of what the family owed the school for school meals."

She said the program should help families struggling with Colorado's rising cost of living by ending school lunch debt.

The measure also aims to address workforce shortages by increasing pay for staff that prepare and serve meals, and offers resources to move away from pre-packaged and processed foods.

SB 87 cleared the Senate's Education Committee with bipartisan support, and is now under review by Appropriations.



Disclosure: Hunger Free Colorado contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Poverty Issues, Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

A 2023 report by Oceana and Turtle Island Restoration Network found that more than half of the animals caught in gillnets are thrown overboard as waste. (Oceana and Blancpain)

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

Environment

play sound

Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021