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Build A Stronger Breakfast Program with Universal Free School Meals

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April 21, 2026

Today’s Agenda

• New Data: Wins and opportunities from NY’s inaugural year of Universal Meals
• Panel Discussion: Lauren Kearley (Huntington UFSD) and Kyle Mattler (Taconic Hills CSD)
• Next Steps and Resources

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Photos: Schuylerville CSD

Renewed Visibility for School Breakfast

NY’s inaugural year of Universal Free School Meals:

2.7M students can access free school breakfast and lunch, every day

5,000+ schools offer free meals to all students

“Universal Free School Meals are putting money back in families' pockets and guaranteeing every student the nourishment they need to thrive, no questions asked.” –Governor Kathy Hochul

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Photos: Governor Hochul celebrates National School Breakfast Week 2026 at Albany City School District!

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New Data: Impact of Universal Free School Meals

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School Breakfast:

8.9% increase

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School Lunch:

5% increase

Take A Fresh Look At School Breakfast

How USM lays the groundwork:

• Eliminates barrier of cost
• Adds financial stability
• Simplifies administration

Schools have room to experiment!

• Add another point of service: cart, cafeteria line
• Switch up where/when breakfast is served.

Breakfast in the Classroom yields highest participation. But it’s not the only approach.

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Photos: Middletown CSD, Newburgh CSD, Broome-Tioga BOCES, Pine Bush CSD

Resources to Promote Free School Meals

Awareness drives strong participation.

Keep up the drumbeat with students and families. Think ahead for “Back-to-School”.

Key Messages:

• School meals are free for all students and the benefits of participating.
• Ways your school makes breakfast available to students.

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Featured Resources: Universal School Meals Outreach Toolkit, School Breakfast Outreach Toolkit (updates coming soon)

Toolkit Materials:

Graphics, flyers, sample language.

In English & Spanish.

Panel Discussion

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Lauren Kearley

School Lunch Manager

Huntington Union Free School District

lkearley@hufsd.edu

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Kyle Mattler

Director Food Services

Taconic Hills Central School District

kmattler@taconichills.k12.ny.us

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Photos: Huntington UFSD

Open Discussion

Please feel free to enter questions or comments in the chat or unmute yourself.

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Photos: Hoosic Valley CSD

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Building Buy-in from Students

Collect student feedback, especially from teens, through:

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• suggestion boxes
• anonymous surveys
• listening sessions
• focus groups

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The No Kid Hungry Student Feedback Toolkit includes tools for conducting surveys and listening sessions with high school students.

Photo: New York City Public Schools

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Building Buy-in from School Leaders

You are your own best advocate.

We offer:

Research highlighting program benefits.

Data showing need in your community.

Resources to promote your program:

• Infographic: Breakfast Benefits
• Brief: Chronic Absenteeism
• Brief: Breakfast for Health
• Brief: Breakfast for Learning

Above: School Breakfast Outreach Toolkit Graphics

Action Step: Prioritize School Breakfast!

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Schools can plan ahead for next year:

• Make breakfast part of the school day. Consider piloting a strategy from today.
• Help school leaders see their role.
• Connect with peers.

Everyone can help:

• Spread the word that free school breakfast is available to all students.
• Bring ready-to-use resources back to your district.

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Get individualized support. We can help you get started.

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Photo: Breakfast in the Classroom at North Colonie CSD. Learn more!

Poll: Resources to reach more kids with free school breakfast?

What other resources are needed to reach more students with free school breakfast in your school/district? Please select your top choice.

• Communication materials designed to help school leaders see the value of school breakfast.
• Outreach materials to communicate with students and families about the availability of free school breakfast.
• Networking opportunities to workshop alternative service models with peers (e.g. BIC, Grab and Go etc.)
• No cost, one-on-one technical assistance.
• Trainings specific to school breakfast service and promotion (e.g. webinars, lunch and learn sessions)
• Tipsheets for alternative breakfast service models (BIC, Grab and Go etc.)

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Photo: Southampton UFSD

We are here to help!

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Francesca DiGiorgio, MPH

School Meals Policy & Engagement Specialist

Hunger Solutions New York

francesca.digiorgio@hungersolutionsny.org

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Liz Lucas

Senior Program Manager

No Kid Hungry New York

elucas@strength.org

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Stay Updated:

HungerSolutionsNY.org/Subscribe

No Kid Hungry New York

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Photo: Middletown Enlarged CSD

Hunger Solutions New York is a statewide anti-hunger organization.

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We increase awareness of, support for, and �participation in federal nutrition assistance programs.

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program �for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP) & School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
• Summer EBT

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No Kid Hungry New York works to end childhood hunger in New York.

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At No Kid Hungry, we are committed to ensuring that every kid has 3 healthy meals a day, 365 days a year.

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Using proven, practical strategies, we work with school districts, community organizations, government agencies, and elected officials to ensure children have access to the healthy food they need, every day.

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