SAINT PAUL, Minn. – On Thursday, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed two bills to address food insecurity in Minnesota. HF 5, authored by Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL – Minneapolis), would create a universal meal program to provide breakfast and lunch to all Minnesota students free of charge. HF 213, authored by Rep. Heather Keeler (DFL – Moorhead), would provide an investment of $5 million for food shelf programs in light of the recent record numbers of visits to food shelves.
Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth) supported both bills and issued the following statement:
“Every student deserves nutritious meals during the school day, and no student deserves to be hungry while they concentrate on their learning. Food insecurity is a big problem for children and families, and while we have free and reduced-price lunch programs right now, too many kids fall through the cracks.
“Food shelves are also part of a vital safety net, but as food prices are increasing, our food shelves across the state are struggling to ensure they can meet the basic needs of families. House DFLers are committed to ensuring all Minnesotans can be healthy and successful, and access to nutritious food is a key component, and that’s why we worked to quickly deliver these key investments this session.”