As of July 1, 2025, the state of Connecticut will no longer provide free school meals to students who qualify for reduced-price meals. The Biennial State Budget, which passed on June 3, eliminated $700,000 in funding that enabled at least 128 districts to maintain access to free meals for reduced-price eligible students. The decision to end free meals for students who qualify for reduced-price lunch and to stop the expansion of the School Breakfast Program for the next two years will have a devastating effect on an estimate 200,000 students statewide. These are not just numbers—they are children who depend on school meals to focus, grow, and learn.

 

This decision represents a setback in our collective efforts to ensure equity, reduce childhood hunger, and support working families. Currently, families with two parents working full-time minimum-wage jobs will no longer qualify for free school meals despite struggling to meet their most basic needs. 

 

👉 Contact your state legislators today and urge them to take immediate action to reinstate free meals for all students, especially those who qualify for reduced-price meals. A brief simple email is all that is needed. 

 

Email addresses for the Greenwich delegation:

 

Senator Fazio - Education + Finance Committee - email here

Rep Tina Courpas - Education + Appropriations Committee - email here

Rep Steve Meskers Chair, Commerce Committee - email here

Rep Hector Arzeno Environment + Education Committee - email here

 

 

👉 Call on Governor Ned Lamont to identify and allocate the necessary funding to restore free meals for reduced-price students. A brief simple voice message is all that is needed: call 860 566 4840.

 

 

 

 

Despite growing concerns over municipal solid waste disposal, the 2025 legislative session failed to pass any bills that meaningfully address waste reduction. Two waste-related bills advanced out of the Environment Committee: 

 

1.) H.B. 6917: An Act Concerning the Management of Solid Waste in the State

2.) H.B. 6229: An Act Concerning the Reduction of Single-Use Plastics and Polystyrene Waste

 

However, as the session progressed, both were stripped of key waste reduction measures–including funding for recycling education, municipal grant funding for composting and unit-based pricing, bans for styrofoam takeout containers and lunch trays, and single-use plastic stirrers, splash sticks, and straws.

 

Eventually, the bills merged and ultimately contained:

This bill would have implemented a food donation plan for entities included in the Commercial Organics Recycling Law to distribute excess edible food to low wealth communities, as food insecurity rates increase throughout the state.  

 

While this bill passed in the House of Representatives on the final day with no opposition, the Senate did not call the bill for a vote. The outcome of this year’s legislative session is worrisome, as there is a great need for waste reduction programs before disposal costs skyrocket.

 

 

 

 

- Funding for FY 26 and FY 27 was included in the final state budget at 1.5 and 3.43 million dollars, respectively.

 

- The language in the budget bill to implement the program includes most of the changes we advocated for in HB 7013, including:

 

1.) Changing the administering agency from the CT Department of Agriculture to the CT State Department of Education but maintaining the partnership between the agencies.

 

2.) Making early childcare providers eligible for incentive funds.

 

3.) Allowing for at least 20% of total funds to be used for supplemental services including technical assistance, consultants, outreach, training or evaluation.

 

 

- We are still awaiting confirmation but we are hopeful funding will be restored at 1 million/year.