Skip to content
Newsletter Signup
  1. News
  2. Press Releases
Published:

During National School Breakfast Week, Senator Hassan Speaks Out Against Threats to School Lunch Programs

Hampstead School Visit

HAMPSTEAD – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan visited Hampstead Middle School on Monday to discuss the importance of school nutrition programs during National School Breakfast Week. During the visit, Senator Hassan met with school administrators, kitchen staff, representatives from the non-profit NH Hunger Solutions, and students who have been working on food insecurity projects and maintain the Mini Saltbox Pantry, Hampstead Middle School’s on-site food pantry.    

“Students can’t focus on learning when they are hungry. Ensuring that students have school breakfast and lunch makes them healthier and improves their academic performance,” said Senator Hassan. “As President Trump and Republicans in Congress push forward a budget that could cut school breakfast and lunch programs in order to fund tax giveaways for billionaires, I remain committed to protecting the resources that New Hampshire students depend on to eat and thrive.”

Senator Hassan’s visit comes as Congressional Republicans are considering a budget proposal that threatens dramatic cuts to funding for free and reduced school lunch, as well as to Medicaid. Nearly 40,000 K-12 public school students in New Hampshire are eligible for free and reduced school lunch and breakfast, representing more than 1 in 5 public school students. Additionally, more than 180,000 Granite Staters get health coverage through Medicaid, including nearly 90,000 children. Any cuts to Medicaid would threaten health coverage for thousands of beneficiaries across the state, including children, people experiencing disabilities, and those in recovery from addiction. Senator Hassan has heard directly from Granite Staters about the importance of safeguarding Medicaid. Last Monday, Senators Hassan and Shaheen hosted a roundtable discussion highlighting the harmful impact of potential Republican cuts to Medicaid. Senator Hassan has also spoken out on the Senate floor about the proposed cuts to Medicaid. 

###