Eddie Esses
Sometimes the most meaningful victories are measured not by headlines, but by the thousands of families whose daily lives become just a little easier.
One year after Governor Kathy Hochul signed New York’s Universal School Meals program into law, the impact is undeniable. More than 42,000 additional nonpublic school students are now receiving free breakfast and lunch each school day, helping families save money, eliminating the stigma of “lunch shaming,” and ensuring that every child, regardless of where they attend school, has access to nutritious meals.
For New York’s Jewish community and the broader nonpublic school community, this represents one of the most significant education victories in recent memory.
A Promise Finally Fulfilled
For years, advocates pushed for New York to recognize a simple principle: every child deserves access to healthy meals at school, regardless of family income or whether they attend a public, charter, or nonpublic school.
Hochul made that vision a reality by securing $340 million in the FY2026 State Budget to establish truly universal free school meals across New York.
Today, every participating public, charter, and nonpublic school can offer free breakfast and lunch to every student, with New York State covering the remaining cost for students who were not previously eligible for free meals.
The result is exactly what supporters hoped for: greater participation, healthier children, and meaningful financial relief for families.
Dramatic Increase in Nonpublic School Participation
Between March 2025 and March 2026 more than 42,000 additional nonpublic school students are now benefiting from the program statewide, a remarkable increase that demonstrates both the demand for and the success of universal school meals. The nonpublic school increase includes 33,000 children attending yeshivas and Jewish day schools in NYS (and within that figure, 4,000 children attending Sephardic yeshiva schools).
More Than Meals
Universal school meals are also delivering substantial savings to working families.
Analysts have estimated that nonpublic school parents are collectively saving approximately $60 million annually through the program – averaging a savings of up to $1,440 per child.
For families already making significant sacrifices to provide a Jewish or other faith-based education for their children, these savings are meaningful. Every dollar families no longer spend on school meals is a dollar that can instead go toward tuition, housing, childcare, or other household expenses.
Senator Sutton’s Advocacy with the Governor
Long before taking office, Senator Sam Sutton championed universal school meals as President of the Sephardic Community Federation (SCF), recognizing that thousands of middle-income families were falling through the cracks. Many families earned too much to qualify for traditional meal assistance but still struggled with the rising cost of living and private school tuition.
SCF also fought to end the harmful practice of lunch shaming, a problem that affected children across every community. Although New York City had been legally authorized since 2017 to provide universal school meals, including kosher and halal options, implementation stalled for years despite persistent advocacy.
After being elected to the State Senate, Senator Sutton continued making funding for non-public schools a top priority, working closely with Governor Hochul and legislative leaders to continue bringing additional funds to our yeshivot.
Senator Sutton has developed a close and productive partnership with Governor Hochul, one that has consistently translated into meaningful investments for New York’s Jewish communities. Whether securing increased security funding, expanding educational support, or advancing initiatives that ease the financial burden on families, that strong working relationship has delivered tangible results where they matter most.
Another Major Win for Nonpublic School Families
Hochul’s commitment to New York’s nonpublic school community extends beyond universal meals.
Just this past month, she also committed New York to opting into the new Federal School Choice Tax Credit, allowing donors to nonprofit scholarship organizations to receive a $1,700 federal tax credit for eligible contributions.
For New York’s Jewish community, this represents another landmark achievement. Once implemented, the program is expected to generate tens of millions of dollars in scholarship funding that will directly help families offset the cost of nonpublic school tuition.
Combined with Universal School Meals, these initiatives represent one of the most significant reductions in the cost of nonpublic education that New York families have seen in decades.
Senator Sam Sutton
“A free breakfast and lunch for every school child in New York State is now a reality and [is] showing impressive results. NYC and NYS nonpublic school children are saying goodbye to lunch shaming and hello to a nutritious breakfast and lunch regardless of income.”