Advocates convened in Raleigh on Tuesday to show support for House Bill 774, which would provide free breakfast to all public school students in North Carolina.
The group was led by School Meals for All NC (SMFANC), a nonpartisan coalition that advocates for all North Carolina public school students to have access to breakfast and lunch at no cost to their families.
HB774, titled “School Breakfast For All,” was filed with bipartisan support and referred to the House K-12 Education Committee in early April. The referral to that committee is a “good sign,” according to Rep. Rodney Pierce, D-Halifax, who spoke to advocates on Tuesday.
Another bill, House Bill 713, would provide both free breakfast and free lunch to public school students. HB713 has only Democratic sponsors, so it is less likely to pass the Republican-led General Assembly.
“…[One] in five kids goes hungry every day in North Carolina, putting them at risk of poor health and educational outcomes.”
— House Bill 774
The Senate budget proposal, unveiled on April 14, would maintain coverage of copays for reduced-price school meals under the federal National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. The proposal would also prohibit the use of alternate school meals based on student pay status.
However, it did not include funds to provide free meals for students.
What advocates said
Over lunch in the Albemarle Building in downtown Raleigh, advocates discussed the importance of free school meals in front of visiting legislators.
The groups represented in the coalition included ABC2, MomsRising, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), and the Center for Black Health & Equity.
Mary Beth Cochran, a mother and grandmother from Clyde, said her family has relied on free school meals during times of economic hardship.
“Honestly, I don”t know what we could do without school meals. It gives me so much peace of mind to know that, no matter what, the kids will eat two balanced meals, five days a week, at school,” she said. “That’s nothing short of a lifeline.”
“But unfortunately, so many children in our state who need school meals don’t get them,” Cochran said. “Eligibility requirements are very tight and don’t account for many challenges families are facing, with grocery costs so high and tariffs threatening to drive them even higher.”
“Now, more than ever, we need to make state lawmakers take action to guarantee no child goes hungry at school,” she said.
Currently, eligibility for free or reduced price meals in North Carolina schools is based on household income. Households fill out an application each year and submit it to their school. Children who are members of households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or Cash Assistance (CA) are automatically eligible.
Advocates argue that offering free meals to all students ensures access to students in need — improving academic outcomes — while also reducing stigma for receiving aid.
Two ambassadors meet with legislators
Later in the afternoon, Joellissa Stokes from Halifax County, and Amiya Smith, a student from Bertie County, met privately with legislators. Stokes and Smith are both ambassadors for SMFANC.
Stokes, a mother, said her experience with homelessness and food insecurity informs her advocacy, recalling times she stole food for her kids:
“It becomes survival of the fittest. You have to survive,” she said.
She said she planned to tell Sen. Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico, that school meals are critical in her home county, in and out of the classroom.
“I know personally as a young parent that when my child is fed, they are more focused and it is easier for them to learn — and also for the teacher to teach,” she said.
Smith, who will graduate from Bertie Early College High School in May, became an advocate after being inspired by her friends at school. A pivotal moment for her was attending a conference and hearing a teacher say, “I can teach a classroom with no pencils and no paper, but I can’t teach a classroom with hungry kids.”
Smith said food problems often lead to behavioral problems.
“They’re going to be labelled as bad kids when they’re not bad kids — they’re just hungry,” Smith said.
Looking ahead
The deadline for crossover is May 8, meaning to have a chance at becoming law, HB774 would have to pass the House by then. While there are some exceptions, most bills must pass one chamber before May 8 to be considered the rest of the session.
You can see a comprehensive look at all education-related bills that have been filed in both chambers here.
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