Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced in the first six months of the academic calendar, New York has served more than 275 million free school meals.
It’s a milestone in the push to help New York’s school children that Hochul says equates to a savings of $450 million per month for families statewide.
“Today marks a major milestone in our overall affordability agenda, ensuring that New York students are not going hungry while they’re at school,” Hochul said in a statement. “Students do better in the classroom when they’re not worried about where their next meal is coming from. In just six months, more than 275 million free school meals have been served – proof that New York is stepping up to support our children’s success while bringing down grocery costs for families statewide.”
The best part of today? Talking with students about their favorite classes (and favorite school meals!)
We made school meals free across New York State – 275 million served and counting – because we know that success in the classroom starts in the cafeteria. pic.twitter.com/i11IYlUWWF
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) March 4, 2026
The governor’s Universal School Meals Program was launched earlier this year, and doesn’t require any financial status to qualify.
The initiative was made possible by a $340 million state investment into school meals.