State Senator
Saud Anwar
Deputy President Pro Tempore
Working For You
- Representing
- East Hartford,
- Ellington,
- East Windsor,
- South Windsor
Today. State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) released the following statement regarding the end of free lunch programs that supported students across all classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic:
“Recent news reports have confirmed that universal free meal programs at local schools are ending at a number of schools in our communities. The School Meals Assistance Revenue for Transition fund, which was used to pay for free meals for all students amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, is seeing the federal relief it received running out. Free meals for students are only expected to continue in some school districts. Happily, that includes East Hartford and East Windsor, but unhappily, it does not include South Windsor or Ellington, where schools will likely revert to providing free meals to only qualifying students. That will still leave many students at risk of going hungry.
A hungry child has more challenges with learning and can be more likely to face setbacks in their development. We need to look at the nutritional development children were able to experience when this program was in place and see firsthand its importance. In the next legislative session, I plan to propose a bill to make meals in schools universally available for students. The advantages these programs provide to students will drastically outweigh their costs and bolster our youth for the future.
However, if that bill is passed, it will become law next year at the earliest, and parents undoubtedly have questions and concerns right now. The best thing affected families can do at this time is visit the free and reduced meals program information available on South Windsor Public Schools’ website: https://www.southwindsorschools.org/departments/food_services__chartwells/free_reduced and the free and reduced meals application available through Ellington Public Schools: https://www.ellingtonpublicschools.org/parents/food
. These programs can help provide immediate aid.”