GENYOUth Rallies Support for School Meals as a Vital Solution to Address Food Justice for Children During September’s Hunger Action Month

NEW YORK (August 28, 2024) – GENYOUth, the national nonprofit committed to ensuring students thrive by living well-nourished and physically active lives, released today the results of a national survey, “Youth Hunger and School Meals.” The findings revealed that more work needs to be done to address food insecurity among children. In fact, millions of Americans are in support of more state and federal resources and funding to help feed hungry children and to ensure all children have access to nutritious meals at school.

Food insecurity among children in the United States is a critical issue that affects millions of young lives – 1 in 5 kids face hunger or is food insecure. For Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic youth, that number is even higher. Alarmingly, the number of children living in food insecure households has increased 45% since 2021 (USDA).

But what do most Americans think, and know, about food insecurity and children?

GENYOUth’s “Youth Hunger and School Meals Survey” of U.S. adults revealed that Americans are all too familiar with food insecurity as an issue, but that there is an information gap and a need for further awareness and education.

Close to 2 in 5, or more than 95 million Americans, know of at least one child who has been impacted by food insecurity. About 3 in 10, or nearly 80 million Americans, report that they participated in school meal programs when they were growing up. And more than 1 in 4, or close to 67 million Americans, say they personally faced food insecurity as a child.

Yet despite their experience with food insecurity, the majority of Americans are still not clear on how many children it affects:  2 in 3 Americans (64%) are not aware of the reality that 1 in 5 U.S. children currently live in food insecure homes.

However, a majority of Americans do recognize the importance of school meals and support the idea of more state and federal resources and funding to help feed hungry children. Close to 3 in 5 Americans believe the finding that most U.S. children get their healthiest meals at school. Older Americans are more likely than their younger peers to be aware that American children get their healthiest meals from school (63% of Boomers and Gen X’ers vs. 49% of Gen Z and Millennials). In fact, over half of all Americans (59%) agree that school meal programs are indeed the country’s largest safety net for food insecurity among school-age children.

This is likely why 65% (or about 2 in 3 Americans) believe that more states need to offer free school meal programs to all children. And why 3 in 5 (60%) think that food insecurity among U.S. children should be a national priority. (For reference: Currently 9 U.S. states offer Universal School Meals/Healthy Meals for All programs regardless of household income that provide free school meals to children, while another 28 states have it under consideration).

Hunger has profound implications for a child’s health.

“With September as Hunger Action Month, now is the time to elevate the conversation and promote action,” says GENYOUth CEO Ann Marie Krautheim, MA, RD, LD. “Addressing youth hunger isn’t just about physical health – it’s about cognitive development, academic performance, and emotional well-being. To truly make a difference, we need a multifaceted approach that includes robust support for school meal programs from business, community, and government leaders, as well as local communities. This requires policy changes, increased awareness, funding support, and education at every level.”

School meals offering milk, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, are vital for advancing nutrition security and closing gaps by ensuring students get the nutrition they need to thrive. According to the USDA, children who participate in school meals consume more dairy, fruits, and vegetables and fewer desserts, snacks, and non-milk beverages. “Nutrition security” stresses the need for both quality and quantity in food intake, highlighting the importance of consistent access to healthy options. Alternative approaches like Grab and Go, Breakfast in the Classroom, and Second Chance Breakfast have proven effective in increasing access to nutritious school meals.

“Many may not realize how many children live in food-insecure homes or depend on school meals, but awareness of child hunger is growing,” said Krautheim. She reminds us that 30 million U.S. children rely on school meals, yet only 26% of Americans know this, leaving 190 million unaware of schools’ vital role in feeding hungry children. Additionally, a GENYOUth Insights Youth Eating Behaviors and Nutrition Literacy Survey reveals that a third of youth (33%) worry about having enough to eat.

“GENYOUth’s mission is to help school children thrive by living well-nourished and active lives,” said Krautheim. “As we ring the school bell to end student hunger, I am inspired by the belief that together, we can ensure every child has access to the nutritious food they need to thrive. By engaging everyone—from business, government to local community leaders — we must raise our hands in support of and drive awareness for this crucial cause.”

To support GENYOUth’s work to end student hunger and for the full “Youth Hunger and School Meals” survey results, visit GENYOUthnow.org.

About GENYOUth 

GENYOUth is a 501c3 national nonprofit dedicated to helping school children thrive by living well-nourished and physically active lives. A catalyst for youth health and wellness, GENYOUth has supported 76,000 U.S. schools to equip them with the resources needed to ensure millions of children have equitable access to nutrition and physical activity. Founded by America’s dairy farmers and the NFL, GENYOUth convenes a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations, to ensure all children are nourished and active to be their best selves. With a commitment to end student hunger, GENYOUth provides nutrition grants to increase access to healthy school meals among food insecure students. GENYOUth is the official charitable partner of Taste of the NFL, a purpose-driven Super Bowl culinary experience that raises awareness and generates funds to fight hunger and food insecurity to support the organization’s commitment to end student hunger. To learn more and support GENYOUth visit www.GENYOUthnow.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Survey Methodology

The GENYOUth Food Insecurity study surveyed 1,008 nationally representative Americans aged 18+. The survey was commissioned by GENYOUth and conducted by Wired Research (www.wiredresearch.com) online between July 22, 2024, and July 29, 2024). The study has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percent from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all personas in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.

Wired Research, which conducted GENYOUth’s “Hunger and Schools” Survey, is a leading insights consultancy, partnering with brands big and small. For more information, visit www.wiredresearch.com.

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Contact:

Eric Slutsky, eric.slutsky@genyouthnow.org, 917-391-6709