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WHEREAS: Hungry children struggle to learn and grow; and

WHEREAS: School meals provide a critical source of nutrition for students in our city, state, and across the country; and

WHEREAS: According to Project Bread, 20% of households in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are food insecure, with Black, Latino, and multiracial families disproportionately impacted; and

WHEREAS: The federal government provided universal free meals through School Year 2021-22, and the Commonwealth continued school meals for all through School Year 2022-23; and

WHEREAS: Roughly 400,000 students in Massachusetts are in danger of going hungry if universal free schools are not continued; and

WHEREAS: The Cambridge Public Schools are committed to closing opportunity gaps; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That the School Committee strongly urges our state delegation to enact School Meals for All legislation – including H. 603, S. 261, and a budget that includes funding for universal free meals for School Year 2023-24 – and make such funding permanent; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the Executive Secretary to the School Committee forward copies of this resolution to each member of the state delegation on behalf of the entire School Committee.