(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/29/2024) The number of students in Michigan public schools eating free breakfast and lunch increased last year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Kids eating breakfast went up by 26 percent to a total of 477,000 students and lunch went up by 20 percent to 867,000 students. Nearly 62 percent of the 1.4 million students in Michigan eat lunch for free at public school.

“I am so proud that the number of students eating breakfast and lunch increased significantly last year, up a combined 240,000 kids. We know that it’s easier to focus on learning in class with a full belly, and we believe that every child, no matter how much money their family has, deserves to eat,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.

Whitmer said the universal free meal program saved Michigan families more than $850 per year per child on groceries. California, Colorado, New Mexico, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Vermont also offer a free meal program.

The program uses a combination of federal and state funding for intermediate and local school districts in the public space to give students one free breakfast and one free lunch. Michigan budgeted $160 million for the program in the 2024 budget. 

“Michigan public schools received over $200 million in state reimbursement for breakfast and lunch to be available at no cost to students,” MDE Deputy Superintendent Diane Golzynski said.

Michigan farmers also contributed produce to local school districts with reimbursements from two federal programs, one through the Department of Agriculture and the other through the Department of Defense. 

Michigan schools ordered more than 8 million cases of food during the 2023-2024 school year, up from just over 6.9 million the year before. 

“I want to thank our school food service workers for the work they do every day to feed our kids. Together, let’s keep saving families money and supporting our students,” Whitmer said.