No child should go hungry in school!
This morning, I was proud to join the First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, CA State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, County Supervisor Hilda Solis and my colleagues Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, Senator María Elena Durazo for a roundtable discussion about the strides made to bolster the California Universal School Meals program.
In my district, it’s not unusual to see school districts with upwards of 85% of its students on free or reduced-price lunch. That’s why I have fought for several years to help make this funding a reality, because no child should ever go hungry.
As an early leader on this issue in the legislature, I am proud that California was the first state in the nation to adopt a Universal Meals Program statewide for all school children, in order to elevate school meals as an integral part of a quality education system.
Students need access to nutritious meals not just for their health, but also to be academically successful in the classroom.