[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Thank you, Governor Pritzker and members of the General Assembly for taking an important step forward for Illinois students with a $26 million investment in free, healthy school meals, a $17 million increase and the largest expansion in over a decade.

Your leadership is turning policy into meaningful action, helping schools provide nutritious meals that support students’ health, learning, and success every day. At a time when families and educators are facing growing challenges, this investment demonstrates a strong commitment to the well-being of Illinois children.

This significant progress begins to fulfill the promise established in 2023 to expand access to healthy school meals and shows what is possible when leaders prioritize the health and success of students.

While this investment marks an important milestone, more work remains to fully fund school meals and ensure every child has reliable access to the nutrition they need to learn, grow, and thrive. We look forward to building on this momentum together to make that vision is a reality for every Illinois student.

Learn more at: https://www.healthyschoolmealsil.com/