A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.
On June 25, the Michigan League for Public Policy joined advocates from the American Heart Association and Healthy School Meals for All Coalition at the state Capitol for an advocacy day.
We showed up in droves to urge the Legislature to continue including free school meals in the fiscal year 2026 School Aid budget. We greeted members of the House and Senate with paper lunch bags filled with stories from across the state about the benefits of providing school meals for all students.
These stories included “thank yous” from multiple perspectives: kids who come from families with low incomes shared that with free school meals, they can attend school without going hungry; administrators wrote stories about how giving all kids access to the same food has created a more inclusive environment in their schools; middle-class families expressed relief that their grocery bills are lower during the school year in a time when prices continue to rise.
We know these stories are true because we have seen them play out since Michigan’s School Meals program was introduced in the 2024 state budget. More kids are eating breakfast (31% increase) and lunch (25% increase) at school, and families are saving an estimated $850 per student each school year on grocery bills. I spoke with a rising senior at a local high school who said that he appreciates the shift he has seen at his school since all students had access to free meals.
“I remember back in elementary school there used to be a stigma around kids getting free school lunch. It created a divide and class system that’s now completely gone.”
Upon hearing the news that school lunches for all students might not be provided next school year, he responded with an emphatic groan, resounding “no,” and “I can’t pack my own lunch again!”
Since our day at the Capitol, little progress has been made on the state budgets, but school meals for all has remained a hot topic in advocacy circles and in budget negotiations. Both the governor and the Senate included funding for school meals in their budgets, but the House eliminated the line item for school meals in its budget.
While budget negotiations drag on, teachers are beginning to set up their classrooms and families are tackling the back-to-school lists. On the other hand, school administrators are beginning to question whether or not funding for certain programs will be included in the state education budget.
Just down the road from the Capitol, a school district announced that it will be ending its school meals for all program due to the budget uncertainty. Other districts are warning families that unless the state budget provides funds for school meals, they will end the program when funds run out at the end of September. The Michigan Department of Education and the State Superintendent are encouraging schools to continue providing school meals for all students, even if funding is not included in the final budget.
The importance of providing school meals in the 2026 state budget is even more critical after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Due to tax changes in the bill, an estimated 18 million students could lose access to free school meals nationwide. Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will cost about 74,000 Michiganders their benefits, and cuts to Medicaid puts health care coverage for more than 500,000 people at risk.
Times are about to get tougher for many Michigan families who will be forced to decide whether to get prescriptions filled or pay utilities. Food insecurity will grow. Students will be less healthy and more hungry, making attending and succeeding in school more difficult. If putting breakfast and lunch in front of our children at school every day supports their health and educational attainment (leading to higher outcomes later in life), putting universal school meals in the state budget is a win for all of us.
At the League, we love to remind people that the budget is a reflection of our state’s priorities. Let’s make sure that kids don’t go hungry, schools continue to be inclusive, and families aren’t forced to bear the cost of legislative inaction.
School meals for all students is just one line item in question without a passed budget, though. Funding for literacy programs, mental health services, resources for English-language learners and more are all up in the air as the Legislature continues to negotiate on the K-12 budget. We will be watching the budget closely and keeping you up to date at www.mlpp.org.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
