AP File Photo Gretchen Whitmer

LANSING – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed March 2-6 as School Breakfast Week and highlighted her administration’s bipartisan collaboration with the Michigan legislature to deliver free breakfast and lunch for all 1.4 million public school students.

“Free breakfast and lunch help kids perform better in class and focus on what really matters at school,” said Governor Whitmer. “This School Breakfast Week, let’s celebrate our bipartisan work to deliver free breakfast and lunch for all 1.4 million public school students in Michigan, saving parents almost $1,000 a year per kid. I’m proud we got it done in last year’s budget, and I’m proud to propose making it permanent. Free school meals not only help our students learn and grow, but help Michigan families keep money in their pockets and save time every morning. Let’s keep getting it done and positioning our students for a bright future.”

“School breakfast gives students the nutrition and energy they need to fully engage in learning,” said State Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Whitmer and the support of the Legislature, working in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education and the State Board of Education, every public-school student in Michigan has access to a free breakfast and free lunch each school day. Expanding access to school breakfast directly advances Goal 3 of Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan by strengthening the health, safety, and wellness of all learners.”

“We’re encouraged by the Governor’s continued commitment to making healthy school meals a permanent part of Michigan’s future,” said Amanda Klein, State Government Relations Director for American Heart Association. “Ensuring every child has access to nutritious food at school is one of the smartest and most cost-effective investments we can make. When students have consistent access to meals, we see stronger attendance, improved academic performance, and healthier children overall. Making school meals permanent removes barriers for working families and strengthens communities across our state. We are proud to stand alongside our coalition partners in supporting this effort and look forward to working together to ensure it becomes a lasting reality for Michigan families.”

Free Breakfast and Lunch for Michigan Students

The balanced, bipartisan budget Governor Whitmer signed into law last year delivered free breakfast and lunch for all 1.4 million public school students in Michigan. Getting this done saves parents around $1,000 a year per kid on groceries and valuable time every morning.

During this year’s State of the State address, the governor called on the legislature to make free school meals permanent in state law. The governor’s budget proposal also proposes making free school meals permanent for all 1.4 million public school students.