On Friday, March 24, 2023, Springville-Griffith Institute hosted a press conference to advocate for the inclusion of universal meals in the final State budget.
Speakers included S-GI Superintendent James Bialasik, S-GI Board of Education President Christopher Cerrone, S-GI Board of Education Member Jessica Schuster, S-GI Culinary Director Laura Watson, SFA Secretary Kristin Hughey, Springville-Griffith CSD Faculty Association Secretary, State Sen. Sean Ryan, Deputy County Executive for Erie County Lisa Chimera, as well as other local advocates.
In June, federal waivers that provided free school meals for all students expired. As a result, more than 726,000 students in New York lost access to free meals at school and families’ school meal debt has skyrocketed. In the Western New York region, nearly 78,800 students lost access to free school meals this year.
Both the Senate and Assembly support restoring free school meals for all students in their one-house budget bills. Now it is up to Governor Hochul to ensure HSMFA is fully funded in the FY2024 State budget.