During the pandemic, child nutrition waivers provided meals for all kids in schools. That gave an additional 10 million kids meals at no cost.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Heart Association say Congress needs to extend child nutrition waivers for the upcoming school year. These waivers impact many children in Kentucky.
Dr. Rich Besser is the president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The pediatrician says good nutrition is necessary for the learning process.
“It's impossible for a child to learn in a classroom if they're hungry," Besser said. "And so this is the opportunity for Congress to say in America, we're going to ensure that every child, at least has that one good meal every single day.”
American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown says some states have already extended the program.
“But what state a child lives in shouldn't determine if they have food to eat and healthy foods available to the," Brown said. "And so we really believe that Congress should come together in the same bipartisan way that they did to extend these waivers through the summer.”
According to the Kentucky Department of Education, 76% of kids in Kentucky schools qualify for free lunches.
