August 5, 2022
In Wisconsin, about 1 in 5 children experience food insecurity, and as federal school meal waivers are set to expire, some advocates are encouraging a continuation of free meal programs because food, like textbooks, should be available to all K-12 students for free. "[Wisconsin children] are more likely to live in food insecure households than kids nationwide," said Judi Bartfeld, coordinator of the Wisconsin Food Security Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, adding, "School meals are obviously just one piece of the puzzle -- but they are clearly an area in which more can be done."