No child deserves to go hungry during the school day.

Today, however, hunger remains a barrier for many students and their ʻohana. While free and reduced meal programs are available for financially vulnerable families, these programs fail to meet the nutritional needs of all vulnerable households. 

In our state’s public school system, families who earn below 130% of the federal poverty level are eligible for free meals and those earning below 185% can apply for reduced-price meals.

Yet, data compiled through Aloha United Way’s ALICE Initiative shows that local families must make roughly 300% of the poverty level to fulfill their basic living expenses. 

Studies have also found that strengthening food access for students ensures that they have the nutrition required to maximize their learning potential. An analysis of New York City’s free lunch program conducted by researchers at Syracuse University concluded that students with access to free meals experienced test score gains that were equivalent to between six and 10 weeks of extra schooling.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Education recently estimated that extending free school meals to children whose family incomes fall below 300% of the poverty level would cost approximately $3.4 million, a mere fraction of the department’s budget.

The Legislature can appropriate this funding by passing Senate Bill 1300, which would extend free school meals to children from ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households. 

Given its dynamic impact on student achievement, the relatively low price of subsidizing free meals makes it one of the most cost-effective academic interventions that legislators can pass.

Public education is funded by the state, but its outcomes affect everyone. When our keiki are nourished, the prospect of creating a healthy society and vibrant economy is magnified for generations to come. 

That is why all four county councils and their county agencies have expressed their support for Senate Bill 1300.

The Hawai’i County Council passed Resolution 42-25, urging the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to establish a universal free school lunch program for public school students, prioritizing local sourcing and regional procurement. 

In its testimony on SB 1300, the Hawaiʻi County Department of Research and Development said that Hawaiʻi County faces the highest rates of food insecurity in the state, with one in four Hawaiʻi County households reporting food insecurity in a 2023 study commissioned by Hawaiʻi Foodbank. 

The Kauaʻi County Council similarly passed Resolution 2025-19 in support of free school meals on Feb. 26 of this year, which noted that hunger undermines students’ ability to focus, engage in the classroom, and reach their full academic potential.

Maui County Council members adopted Resolution 24-203 last December, lending further backing for the implementation free school meals. The resolution asserts that “access to nutritious meals is as essential to a student’s education as textbooks and qualified teachers and should be available to all students.”

This January, the Honolulu City Council passed Resolution 25-002 in support of free school meals legislation. Both Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change Sustainability and Resiliency and Office of Economic Revitalization have advocated for the proposal, with the former stating, “Expanding free school meals not only addresses immediate hunger but also creates a stable demand for local food producers, strengthening Hawaiʻi’s agricultural economy.” 

In its current form, SB 1300 would deliver free meals to over 10,000 additional students, according to the Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute. Hopefully, state lawmakers will find the funding necessary to expand this program to cover all our state’s children in the coming years. 

At a time when our cost of living continues to rise and access to basic needs remains challenging for many working families, we encourage policymakers to guarantee food security for as many keiki as possible. Doing so will empower them to thrive in the classroom and develop the knowledge to build a more sustainable future for our island home.