To the Editor:

In recent weeks, there have been a few articles regarding the free school lunch waiver enacted at the start of the pandemic. This waiver expired on June 30th and was luckily extended through the summer but we need a permanent solution to provide free lunches for every student regardless of family income limits.

Rep. Ilhan Omar recently wrote in to the paper introducing her bill to create a lasting solution. I support this and want to reiterate the importance of passing this bill and providing free lunches permanently.

When kids are hungry, they cannot focus in school and cannot learn. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty and food insecurity if kids are not provided with the basic necessities to achieve success in school. This legislation would have numerous benefits helping kids reach their full potential through adequate nutrition and reduced stigma. We need to act now and secure a hunger-free future for our students.

Maddie Prosser
St. Louis Park, MN