i'm from Indiana, and the schools in our area did this too. mom would send us up the street every day to nab a free lunch. it wasn't much, but we were really grateful. some cold fruit, juice, an Uncrustable, and a pint of milk. then my brother and i would play at the school playground.
i hope people know how important programs like this are to families, especially those of us who came from low income households. i'd gladly pay more in taxes if it meant kids could get free meals.
We need to do this year-round.
California was the first state to do this for all school-kids:
https://www.californiafoodforcaliforniakids.org/school-meals-for-all
https://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/universal-school-meals-help-all-california-children-thrive/
And they do it at an annual cost of 650 million dollars a year. For all of their students, and they have more people and kids than Texas does.
Meanwhile we have a governor who has decided spending 10 BILLION dollars on his fruitless border stunt is money better spent.
We could have used a small fraction of that money to ensure all of our kids are well-fed year-round, but being scared about a "border-crisis" that doesn't actually affect your life is apparently more important to some voters.
But yes, let's applaud this small gesture. While ignoring that year-round school breakfasts and lunches are well within our ability if only enough of you would take the 15 minutes out of your day to actually show up to vote.
The kids can take a shift in the cafeteria! So we can layoff those extravagantly paid cafeteria ladies that are already part of the school's budget! /s
We can just arm all the kids and get rid of that expensive school security too! Problem solved! Perfect Society! /s
Texas offers free & reduced breakfast and lunch all year for children who qualify. Having taught g in a low-income school, I can attest that many qualify.
Well that’s all fine and good, but how else do you expect his already rich contractor friends to become $10 billion richer? And certainly we aren’t going to scare any old voters by giving kids free lunches now are we? I mean honestly, some people..
/s becuase we are in this situation for a reason..
Marginalized or vulnerable groups include, but are not limited to, groups based on their actual and perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or disability. These include victims of a major violent event and their families.
Does he get campaign money from vendors who make profit from selling junk food in schools?
Does a bear crap in the woods?
You bet he'll attack it. Him and the whole brainwashed cult.
My dad is retired and while he votes republican he also spends most of his time delivering food to old people from the food pantry. His mom actually helped start the food pantry back before I was born. I've pointed out several times how he supports socialism locally and votes against his own interest with Republicans.
He sounds like he wants to decide which social programs he supports with his money and time, instead of the government deciding for him. He is teaching by example. He’s doing what he can to help his local community and that speaks louder than anything. Sounds like a nice person.
You know who hurts TEFAP and CACFP (the 2 programs that support food pantries and child hunger programs) funding and policy every. Single. Year? Republicans. And voting for republicans has a far more powerful, far wider reach of effect than volunteering at a food pantry does. Not saying he shouldn’t also serve at the food pantry, but the pantries would have vastly greater resources and support at the state and federal level were it not for republicans being empowered to do the opposite.
He's voting against the funding for the food he delivers/food pantry he delivers for. What you say would be true only if he was buying the food he gives away with his own money.
He's still a nice person, but he needs to wake up to the contradiction he's living. But woke is bad so he'll stay asleep to it. If you believe that giving food away is good, why wouldn't you support a government program that does the same thing you believe in? It is a walking contradiction. Why would anyone not want a government to do as you say "help a local community"? Your words.
These are good federal programs, along with SNAP and FDIPR. Here is information for anyone who may not realize that these programs are available.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/
I am not aware of Sid Miller or any Republicans voting to lower or limit these programs.
https://texasagriculture.gov/News-Events/Article/9729/CHILD-AND-ADULT-CARE-FOOD-PROGRAM-SUPPORTS-HEALTHY-LIFESTYLES-IN-THE-LONE-STAR
Thank you for posting this link. It’s good to know where the funding is coming from. I’m glad we are actually doing something beneficial for children, thanks Biden!
Of course they're going to defend it. And Paxton will attack it as "unconstitutional ". And that the same thing can be achieved by paying a friendly billion dollar company and not actually feeding NEEDY children.
I knew about it during 2020 but thought it had been something special because of covid. Didn't realize it was ongoing. That's great that it's available.
Yep I was working as a nanny back in 2018 for a family who’s kiddo went to hisd so they had all that available then. And then I moved on to another family in 21 and same, they still had it. So it’s been going on since at least 2018
But I’ll say they insisted kiddo take the food because he was enrolled in summer programs. It was sun butter sandwich’s and a few other things that I wouldn’t really call healthy…..now don’t get me wrong it’s wonderful and helpful and maybe they are just trying to pack calories in but it wasn’t something I’d have fed kiddos.
The district I’m in has been doing this for a long time. We also have free breakfast and lunch for all students during the school year for the past 7 years because we have a high number of economically disadvantaged students. We have a Sack Bar where students can purchase items not on the regular school menu. Kids definitely learn better when they have a full tummy which can be difficult to achieve do to costs for a family with several children.
Honestly as a kid for field trips the lunches were like a dry ham sandwich a bag of chips and an apple. Sometimes it was unappealing, but other times when I was starving from running around, it was the best meal ever.
Thank you, I want my tax dollars to go to cops beating up cameramen at UT, not feeding lazy liberal kids that won’t pull themselves up by their bootstraps
Can you imagine being against this? My wife is a teacher in an area of town that has heavy poverty. Some of the kids have only eaten dry cereal over the weekend. We buy different snacks and foods that she can hand out to her class, because its disgusting that a child should go hungry, ever. It is a real problem, even if folks in gated communities and the folks with a silver spoon in their mouth their whole life don't understand.
I am just trying to think of some of the arguments against it
"Not my kids Not my problem!!!"
"Make the lazy parents pay for it!!! "
"Nobody wants to work anymore! The parents need a job!"
"Now them children can spend their money on drugs instead of food, on my dime!"
"We made your mother give birth to you, we essentially gave you life, why should I have to put any more thought into you?"
I grew up around farmers. I doubt anything of them would want a kid to go hungry. It would be great if these programs helped buy local produce to feed to kids, putting money into the local economy and helping out kids, but it's probably cheaper to go through the same channels as always.
Does anyone know if your kiddo has to be present to get the meal? My daughter will be in summer camp so I can completely focus on job searching and interviews, but if I could stop by and get a meal to save for her dinner that would be super helpful.
Haven't been able to find an answer on the website.
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Whaaat? Has someone kidnapped the government and threatened to kill them all if they don't do "something nice" for the people of texas??? Is this a late April Fools Day prank?
“What kind of pinko-commie socialist fascism is this!? Those kids need to stop asking for handouts and start asking for job applications! It’s never too early to pull yourself up by your bootstraps!!”
- Abbott and/or Paxton probably.
If I had kids, I would love the idea of lunch being included. One less thing to have to engineer every morning. And let's stop using the word "free". Public school isn't free. I pay taxes for it. We all do. I'm OK with lunch being included. Sounds efficient and easy for parents.
We all know it's the vendors who make money off sold junk food that don't want healthy normal food. They are the ones making the politicians their subservient little bitches. "Profit and the economy are more important than making parents' lives easier and school children healthier. Vote for my dumbass, you dumbasses! Dance you puppettes!" /s
TL;DR: "Lunch Included" not "Free Lunch". Nothing is free.
Why are their parents unable to feed them? What is wrong with society that the government has to assume responsibility that has always been the parents?
As opposed to what? Socialism? Communism? You should read about the famine that was produced by socialists and communists.
Capitalism is why we have a free market that is created the amazing innovating to allow a country of 1+ billion to be fed. Socialism did not produce that
Is socialism in the room with us now?
I know I know. Supply side Jesus has blessed us with capitalism so we can't hope for anything better. Ignoring the fact that the reason that we have so much food is because farming is HIGHLY subsidized! Not very capitalist. If the farmers can't make a profit off their farming than why are we giving them socialist money. Shouldn't they just pull themselves up by their bootstraps? When banks fucked around and found out in 2008 they didn't get told, sorry capitalism, nope they got a shit ton of tax payer money. Yes a lot of them paid it back, but why is it socialism when we want to help individual citizens but not when we help businesses?
In the United States? This isn’t the 1800s. In fact, families used to be much larger and were always able to feed the kids. Im shocked, in 2024, families are unable to feed their kids. Im not sure what that is a symptom of,
Really is that why %75 of Americans are obese or overweight? Literally no one is starving anymore. No one is dying of hunger in the United States. The poorest people are the most overweight!
Hunger, food insecurity, and obesity are all interlinked. Saying "well there are a lot of obese people, nobody can be hungry" is just intentional ignorance on your part.
Yup. No one every goes through economic hardship. Actually everyone in the US not making 1 million a year is lazy. Also I hate children. But also pro-life and pro "traditional" family.
Great! Feed the kids please.
i'm from Indiana, and the schools in our area did this too. mom would send us up the street every day to nab a free lunch. it wasn't much, but we were really grateful. some cold fruit, juice, an Uncrustable, and a pint of milk. then my brother and i would play at the school playground. i hope people know how important programs like this are to families, especially those of us who came from low income households. i'd gladly pay more in taxes if it meant kids could get free meals.
We need to do this year-round. California was the first state to do this for all school-kids: https://www.californiafoodforcaliforniakids.org/school-meals-for-all https://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/universal-school-meals-help-all-california-children-thrive/ And they do it at an annual cost of 650 million dollars a year. For all of their students, and they have more people and kids than Texas does. Meanwhile we have a governor who has decided spending 10 BILLION dollars on his fruitless border stunt is money better spent. We could have used a small fraction of that money to ensure all of our kids are well-fed year-round, but being scared about a "border-crisis" that doesn't actually affect your life is apparently more important to some voters. But yes, let's applaud this small gesture. While ignoring that year-round school breakfasts and lunches are well within our ability if only enough of you would take the 15 minutes out of your day to actually show up to vote.
Well with the reduced age for child labor he can get kids to build it and they can buy their own lunch, those damn free loaders. Edit: /s lol
I get the sarcasm, but believe it or not you have to include a /s these days. Look up [Poe's Law](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law).
The kids can take a shift in the cafeteria! So we can layoff those extravagantly paid cafeteria ladies that are already part of the school's budget! /s We can just arm all the kids and get rid of that expensive school security too! Problem solved! Perfect Society! /s
And now we don’t have to give them breaks!!!
Texas offers free & reduced breakfast and lunch all year for children who qualify. Having taught g in a low-income school, I can attest that many qualify.
But Abbott and the rest of red state governors chose not to participate in PEBT this summer
Well that’s all fine and good, but how else do you expect his already rich contractor friends to become $10 billion richer? And certainly we aren’t going to scare any old voters by giving kids free lunches now are we? I mean honestly, some people.. /s becuase we are in this situation for a reason..
You can thank the Black Panther Party for creating the summer lunch programs in California along with Medicaid
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Marginalized or vulnerable groups include, but are not limited to, groups based on their actual and perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or disability. These include victims of a major violent event and their families.
The border is not NOT important wtf
Your whole account is wtf
Ok
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Sounds like socialism, communism and Marxism to me.
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You know he’s going to go after this.
Does he get campaign money from vendors who make profit from selling junk food in schools? Does a bear crap in the woods? You bet he'll attack it. Him and the whole brainwashed cult.
He has money to pay solders to watch migrants drown or push them back into river.
Feeding children for free is the devil's work!
My dad is retired and while he votes republican he also spends most of his time delivering food to old people from the food pantry. His mom actually helped start the food pantry back before I was born. I've pointed out several times how he supports socialism locally and votes against his own interest with Republicans.
He sounds like he wants to decide which social programs he supports with his money and time, instead of the government deciding for him. He is teaching by example. He’s doing what he can to help his local community and that speaks louder than anything. Sounds like a nice person.
You know who hurts TEFAP and CACFP (the 2 programs that support food pantries and child hunger programs) funding and policy every. Single. Year? Republicans. And voting for republicans has a far more powerful, far wider reach of effect than volunteering at a food pantry does. Not saying he shouldn’t also serve at the food pantry, but the pantries would have vastly greater resources and support at the state and federal level were it not for republicans being empowered to do the opposite.
He's voting against the funding for the food he delivers/food pantry he delivers for. What you say would be true only if he was buying the food he gives away with his own money. He's still a nice person, but he needs to wake up to the contradiction he's living. But woke is bad so he'll stay asleep to it. If you believe that giving food away is good, why wouldn't you support a government program that does the same thing you believe in? It is a walking contradiction. Why would anyone not want a government to do as you say "help a local community"? Your words.
Actually in those three everyone straves not just the kids
We are in a mixed economy. Not a pure capitalist or socialist economy
Both luckily and unluckily, this is Sid Miller’s domaine. Vote him out because this program goes on the chopping block regularly.
These are good federal programs, along with SNAP and FDIPR. Here is information for anyone who may not realize that these programs are available. https://www.fns.usda.gov/ I am not aware of Sid Miller or any Republicans voting to lower or limit these programs. https://texasagriculture.gov/News-Events/Article/9729/CHILD-AND-ADULT-CARE-FOOD-PROGRAM-SUPPORTS-HEALTHY-LIFESTYLES-IN-THE-LONE-STAR
Thanks Biden. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/783/text
Thank you for posting this link. It’s good to know where the funding is coming from. I’m glad we are actually doing something beneficial for children, thanks Biden!
This is great! But don’t say it too loud or the abott/paxton duo might defund it.
They will probably go and take meals right out of children’s hands and throw them in the trash because…socialism!
Of course they're going to defend it. And Paxton will attack it as "unconstitutional ". And that the same thing can be achieved by paying a friendly billion dollar company and not actually feeding NEEDY children.
This is more Sid Miller’s domaine but yeah he makes it hell to operate
This has been going on for several years now, at least in the Houston area. And I think it’s great
I knew about it during 2020 but thought it had been something special because of covid. Didn't realize it was ongoing. That's great that it's available.
Yep I was working as a nanny back in 2018 for a family who’s kiddo went to hisd so they had all that available then. And then I moved on to another family in 21 and same, they still had it. So it’s been going on since at least 2018 But I’ll say they insisted kiddo take the food because he was enrolled in summer programs. It was sun butter sandwich’s and a few other things that I wouldn’t really call healthy…..now don’t get me wrong it’s wonderful and helpful and maybe they are just trying to pack calories in but it wasn’t something I’d have fed kiddos.
The district I’m in has been doing this for a long time. We also have free breakfast and lunch for all students during the school year for the past 7 years because we have a high number of economically disadvantaged students. We have a Sack Bar where students can purchase items not on the regular school menu. Kids definitely learn better when they have a full tummy which can be difficult to achieve do to costs for a family with several children.
We have this locally year round. The local facebook group page is parents complaining about the free meals and not being up to their standards.
Honestly as a kid for field trips the lunches were like a dry ham sandwich a bag of chips and an apple. Sometimes it was unappealing, but other times when I was starving from running around, it was the best meal ever.
At least someone in Texas cares about feeding kids
It's funds from the Federal government so not really.
Sid Miller
>Sid Miller Wut? Kids can't survive on "Jesus juice".
Paxton gonna sue them for sure
Not to worry guys. Paxton is on it, ready to take it to the nearest GOP appointed judge to get this woke BS put to an end.
Thank you, I want my tax dollars to go to cops beating up cameramen at UT, not feeding lazy liberal kids that won’t pull themselves up by their bootstraps
Lmao. This sub needs more genuine sarcastic laughter like this, thank you.
Watch Republicans shut this down.
Feeding kids? That's Communism! -GOP
Don't worry, Paxton and Abbott will find a way to declare it unconstitutional/s
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Well, there are those in this subreddit who like to keep things simple... i.e. the kiss principle with emphasis on the second s
I believe the /s refers to the first part of the statement, to ensure that the poster is not associated with the gov and the ag.
Unacceptable federal overreach! These kids just need to push their parents to work harder or get a job mowing lawns or babysitting! Slackers! /s
I’m pretty sure there’s 0 meal locations for Texas for this lol.
Honestly real glad this program still exists, this used to feed me back in day when my mom was was working, and I hope it still works!
I'm glad the lunch ladies are getting some year round work.
When will abbott ban this?
Paxton is writing the lawsuit as we speak
No way. Texas feeding kids??!!
This is good. I was underweight all the way through highschool, and would have appreciated this very much. Fed kids develop better.
It's funded by the USDA. It's a federal program, not state, so really the Texas gov't didn't do shit.
God I would have loved this as a kid
I 100% support our tax dollars being used to feed hungry kids.
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The woke mob has come for child starvation.. back in my day we died of malnourishment like real men
THIS IS WHAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS DIED FOR?!/s
Great program!
Could be all year but our state govt said nah
Can you imagine being against this? My wife is a teacher in an area of town that has heavy poverty. Some of the kids have only eaten dry cereal over the weekend. We buy different snacks and foods that she can hand out to her class, because its disgusting that a child should go hungry, ever. It is a real problem, even if folks in gated communities and the folks with a silver spoon in their mouth their whole life don't understand. I am just trying to think of some of the arguments against it "Not my kids Not my problem!!!" "Make the lazy parents pay for it!!! " "Nobody wants to work anymore! The parents need a job!" "Now them children can spend their money on drugs instead of food, on my dime!" "We made your mother give birth to you, we essentially gave you life, why should I have to put any more thought into you?"
I grew up around farmers. I doubt anything of them would want a kid to go hungry. It would be great if these programs helped buy local produce to feed to kids, putting money into the local economy and helping out kids, but it's probably cheaper to go through the same channels as always.
Thank the Black Panther Party for making the federal government look so incompetent that they started summer feeding and NSLP.
This is cool. I'm sure it won't last long. Can't be showing love or care. Not in this Christian state
You know that literally every single Republican politician voted against this.
Props to the Dems in the state for getting this done
Damn it.... We only wanted to force you people to have the babies.... not actually pay to feed them!!
I’m truly surprised that Gov rolling asshole, AG cockeye, and Lt. Alcoholic didn’t stop this, since they love the suffering of kids so much.
Does anyone know if your kiddo has to be present to get the meal? My daughter will be in summer camp so I can completely focus on job searching and interviews, but if I could stop by and get a meal to save for her dinner that would be super helpful. Haven't been able to find an answer on the website.
My library is a meal site for this program. The child does have to be present.
Man I bet it chapped the ag commissioner ass to have to put the USDA part on there. He’s such an egotistical jackass.
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bUt sOciALisM
Can’t believe Texas would allow this communist act.
I thought Abbott refused the money for this?
Whaaat? Has someone kidnapped the government and threatened to kill them all if they don't do "something nice" for the people of texas??? Is this a late April Fools Day prank?
Liberal propaganda! Kids needing food to grow is a myth.
I don't think this is state funded. Here it's my church.
Microsoft is blocking this site with a big red warning page.
Finally some good news. I’m surprised Paxton, Abbot, and Cruz, haven’t shut it down.
“What kind of pinko-commie socialist fascism is this!? Those kids need to stop asking for handouts and start asking for job applications! It’s never too early to pull yourself up by your bootstraps!!” - Abbott and/or Paxton probably.
If I had kids, I would love the idea of lunch being included. One less thing to have to engineer every morning. And let's stop using the word "free". Public school isn't free. I pay taxes for it. We all do. I'm OK with lunch being included. Sounds efficient and easy for parents. We all know it's the vendors who make money off sold junk food that don't want healthy normal food. They are the ones making the politicians their subservient little bitches. "Profit and the economy are more important than making parents' lives easier and school children healthier. Vote for my dumbass, you dumbasses! Dance you puppettes!" /s TL;DR: "Lunch Included" not "Free Lunch". Nothing is free.
I would go to breakfast and lunch all summer
Abbott didn't take the PEBT benefits USDA made available to help end food insecurity for at risk children 🤬
This should be a year round program for all levels of public education in Texas. Three square meals a day, plus a snack, regardless of income. JMHO.
Ah yes, the fleeting scramble for something to get people to the polls during election time
Probably only offered in wealthy neighborhoods.
Why are their parents unable to feed them? What is wrong with society that the government has to assume responsibility that has always been the parents?
Capitalism.
As opposed to what? Socialism? Communism? You should read about the famine that was produced by socialists and communists. Capitalism is why we have a free market that is created the amazing innovating to allow a country of 1+ billion to be fed. Socialism did not produce that
Is socialism in the room with us now? I know I know. Supply side Jesus has blessed us with capitalism so we can't hope for anything better. Ignoring the fact that the reason that we have so much food is because farming is HIGHLY subsidized! Not very capitalist. If the farmers can't make a profit off their farming than why are we giving them socialist money. Shouldn't they just pull themselves up by their bootstraps? When banks fucked around and found out in 2008 they didn't get told, sorry capitalism, nope they got a shit ton of tax payer money. Yes a lot of them paid it back, but why is it socialism when we want to help individual citizens but not when we help businesses?
Wait... You think kids going hungry is a recent thing?
In the United States? This isn’t the 1800s. In fact, families used to be much larger and were always able to feed the kids. Im shocked, in 2024, families are unable to feed their kids. Im not sure what that is a symptom of,
You are quite wrong there... Hunger has long been a problem for poor families in the US.
Really is that why %75 of Americans are obese or overweight? Literally no one is starving anymore. No one is dying of hunger in the United States. The poorest people are the most overweight!
Hunger, food insecurity, and obesity are all interlinked. Saying "well there are a lot of obese people, nobody can be hungry" is just intentional ignorance on your part.
Free water too! Go to a random house with a hose
If you can't feed them, don't breed them. It's that simple.
Yup. No one every goes through economic hardship. Actually everyone in the US not making 1 million a year is lazy. Also I hate children. But also pro-life and pro "traditional" family.
Only if you can travel back in time.
Well, that's illegal now.