The PennZone

~ Governor Josh Shapiro visited Maple Point Middle School in Bucks County today to join students for breakfast and highlight budget investments in the universal free breakfast program. This program was a priority for Governor Shapiro in his first budget address, and six months into his term, the bipartisan budget delivered on his promise for Pennsylvania students to ensure they have access to healthy meals to start their day.

The 2023-24 budget includes a $46.5 million increase to provide universal free breakfast to Pennsylvania students and free lunch to all 22,000 students who are eligible for reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program. This will provide more than 1.7 million students across the Commonwealth with free breakfast – including more than 76,000 students in Bucks County.

At Maple Point Middle School alone, 800 students will now receive free breakfast thanks to this budget. Senator Frank Farry, Representative Joe Hogan, Representative John Galloway, Representative Tim Brennan, Representative Kathleen Tomlinson, and Bucks County Commissioners Robert Harvie and Diane Ellis-Marseglia joined Governor Shapiro while meeting with students and educators.

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"I proposed providing free breakfast to Pennsylvania students in my first budget address because I believe our children need to start the day with a nutritious meal – and I know they can't learn on an empty stomach," said Governor Shapiro. "With support from both sides of the aisle, this bipartisan budget delivers on that promise."

Senator Farry added: "One in eight children in Pennsylvania face hunger and food insecurity. Bucks County is not immune to that, which is why I am pleased to support the universal free breakfast program."

The 2023-24 budget also makes critical investments in K-12 public schools with a $567 million increase in basic education funding (BEF) funding for Pennsylvania school districts – the largest increase in BEF in Pennsylvania history. All 9,527 students in the Neshaminy School District will be eligible for free breakfast as a result of this investment.

Governor Shapiro concluded: "This commonsense bipartisan budget levels the playing field by providing more than 1.7 million Pennsylvania students with free breakfast to start their day." For more information on these investments visit shapirobudget.pa.gov

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