Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Expanding Access to School Meals for New Jersey Students

Trenton – Advancing efforts to eliminate food insecurity among New Jersey’s young learners, Governor Phil Murphy today signed legislation expanding eligibility criteria under the Working Class Families Anti-Hunger Act, A5684/S4055. Under the legislation, public and non-public schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or federal School Breakfast Program will provide a free school lunch and/or breakfast to students whose families have an annual household income of up to 224 percent of the federal poverty level, which will make over 60,000 families newly eligible.

Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin and Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz are prime sponsors of the legislation. Additional prime sponsors include Senator Shirley Turner and Assemblymembers Shanique Speight, Carol Murphy, Shama Haider, and Benjie Wimberly.

“More than 175,000 children in New Jersey are food insecure. Lack of access to nutritious food can hinder their physical, mental, social, and emotional development," said Elizabeth McCarthy, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ).