Don’t Let Us Start School Hungry! Support NJ Bill S524/A4942
The Issue
In New Jersey, 1 in 7 children suffer from food insecurity. That is over 270,000 students hungry.
Right now, New Jersey public schools are only required to provide free breakfast if 20% or more of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. However, many students experiencing food insecurity attend schools that fall below the current 20% threshold, particularly due to the underreporting of need.
My own high school recently lost Title I status—not because need suddenly vanished, but because families stopped completing meal aid applications or, worse, were fully unaware of their existence. When this happens, need becomes significantly underestimated. When funding priorities shifts, crucial programs like free breakfast access become endangered and neglected. There are also youth who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals but unfortunately still go hungry due to financial instability, neglect, or inconsistent meal access at home.
New Jersey bills S524 and A4942 would expand school breakfast access by lowering the eligibility threshold from 20% to 5% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. During the 2014-2015 legislative session, this policy was estimated to expand free breakfast access to approximately 627 additional schools and benefit more than 90,545 children statewide. Breakfast access is significantly linked to improved academic performance, attendance, and mental health, and there should be no question about making food—a basic human right—free for our students.
We urge the New Jersey legislature to support and advance S524/A4942 to ensure that more students can learn and succeed with happy stomachs.
Constituents across New Jersey: your voices are crucial in ensuring the progression of this legislation, as we cannot afford to let such policies die out. Please sign your name in support of S524/A4942 and consider sharing a testimonial to be shared with our very state legislators. Hunger does not begin at a 20% cutoff, and neither should nutrition access.
Image from The Inquirer. Thank you to Senators Vin Gopal and James Beach for serving as primary sponsors of S524. Thank you to Senators Britnee Timberlake, Teresa Ruiz, Shirley Turner, Angela McKnight, Brian Stack, and Paul Moriarty for your co-sponsorship of S524. Thank you to Assemblymen Jerry Walker, Vincent Kearney, and Balvir Singh for serving as primary sponsors of A4942. Thank you to Assemblyman Dan Hutchison for vocalizing your support of A4942. Thank you, constituents, for signing!
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The Issue
In New Jersey, 1 in 7 children suffer from food insecurity. That is over 270,000 students hungry.
Right now, New Jersey public schools are only required to provide free breakfast if 20% or more of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. However, many students experiencing food insecurity attend schools that fall below the current 20% threshold, particularly due to the underreporting of need.
My own high school recently lost Title I status—not because need suddenly vanished, but because families stopped completing meal aid applications or, worse, were fully unaware of their existence. When this happens, need becomes significantly underestimated. When funding priorities shifts, crucial programs like free breakfast access become endangered and neglected. There are also youth who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals but unfortunately still go hungry due to financial instability, neglect, or inconsistent meal access at home.
New Jersey bills S524 and A4942 would expand school breakfast access by lowering the eligibility threshold from 20% to 5% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. During the 2014-2015 legislative session, this policy was estimated to expand free breakfast access to approximately 627 additional schools and benefit more than 90,545 children statewide. Breakfast access is significantly linked to improved academic performance, attendance, and mental health, and there should be no question about making food—a basic human right—free for our students.
We urge the New Jersey legislature to support and advance S524/A4942 to ensure that more students can learn and succeed with happy stomachs.
Constituents across New Jersey: your voices are crucial in ensuring the progression of this legislation, as we cannot afford to let such policies die out. Please sign your name in support of S524/A4942 and consider sharing a testimonial to be shared with our very state legislators. Hunger does not begin at a 20% cutoff, and neither should nutrition access.
Image from The Inquirer. Thank you to Senators Vin Gopal and James Beach for serving as primary sponsors of S524. Thank you to Senators Britnee Timberlake, Teresa Ruiz, Shirley Turner, Angela McKnight, Brian Stack, and Paul Moriarty for your co-sponsorship of S524. Thank you to Assemblymen Jerry Walker, Vincent Kearney, and Balvir Singh for serving as primary sponsors of A4942. Thank you to Assemblyman Dan Hutchison for vocalizing your support of A4942. Thank you, constituents, for signing!
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Petition created on June 20, 2026