Illinois rallies for budget appropriation to enable healthy school meals for all

Springfield, IL — A statewide push to provide healthy school meals for all children across Illinois may soon become a reality. Coalitions across Illinois are calling on the General Assemble to provide funding in the 2025 state budget.

Last year in the spring 2023 session, Illinois passed the ‘Healthy School Meals for All’ bill which provides free breakfast and lunches to all students who want it, but the bill did not receive the appropriation it needed and that has now left lawmakers in Springfield asking for the proper funding to finally kick-start this movement.

“In order for it to become a reality we really need it to show up in this years state budget, so we could go back to providing a free breakfast and lunch for all kids who want and need one,” said Simon.

Janna Simon at the Illinois Public Health Institute shared a few reasons why this funding should be in the 2025 state budget.

“Over 315,000 children in Illinois are facing hunger and about 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 of them, depending on the region, actually don’t qualify for free – reduced priced lunch. There’s actually already a gap,” said Simon