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Michigan’s Budget Crisis Threatens Free Breakfast, Lunch for Low-Income Students

September 30, 2025

Michigan's Legislature is racing against a government shutdown deadline with a critical focus on preserving free breakfast and lunch programs for low-income students. Senator Sarah Anthony, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, has made this program a priority in budget negotiations, emphasizing that the state has sufficient financial resources to maintain it. School districts are already warning parents about possible meal service disruptions, creating fear and confusion for families who depend on these meals as their children's primary source of nutrition.

Who is affected

  • Children from low-income families across Michigan
  • Parents who rely on the program for their children's nutrition
  • School districts and administrators preparing for potential program cuts
  • Black and Brown student populations, particularly in districts like Detroit
  • Working families already stretched thin by housing and utility costs

What action is being taken

  • Senator Sarah Anthony is actively negotiating to preserve the free meal program in the state budget
  • Lawmakers are trading proposals and working "around the clock" to reach consensus before the deadline
  • School leaders are sending warning emails to parents about potential loss of free meal service
  • Senator Anthony is urging school administrators to continue meal services until the last possible moment
  • Legislators are conducting intensive budget negotiations to avert a government shutdown

Why it matters

  • For many students, school meals are "the only guarantee of food in their day"
  • The program addresses equity and dignity issues beyond basic nutrition
  • Free school meals help counter racial and economic inequities in education
  • The program has been "a game changer" for families' finances and emotional well-being
  • Cutting the program would represent a reversal of progress in easing family burdens
  • How Michigan resolves this issue reveals the state's moral commitment to its most vulnerable children

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle