A Big Win for 'School Meals for All'!
In 2021, NextGen was an original cosponsor and part of the School Meals for All coalition that helped secure funding to cover the complete cost of offering free breakfast and lunch for all K-12 students, which made California the first state in the nation to do so. Building on that success, NextGen has continued to play a key role in advocating for ongoing funding and helped secure unprecedented investments in the future of our state’s school food system. In 2025, despite the difficult budget year, we helped secure:
Full Funding
School Meals for All was fully funded for 2026, with a $90.7 million increase to accommodate growing student participation and the program’s continued success.
$10 Million
In partnership with the Chef Ann Foundation, we secured $10 million for a one-year extension of the Healthy School Food Pathway program.
$145 Million
We helped deliver $145 million for the Kitchen Infrastructure and Training (KIT) program, ensuring schools have the equipment and skills training needed to prepare fresh, nutritious food.
$24.9 Million
The California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program was fully funded at $24.9 million, successfully expanding individuals' and families' access to locally grown food and deepening ties between schools and California farmers.
Current and Partner Work in the Food Insecurity Space
Our Food Insecurity Partnerships
NextGen partners with The Chef Ann Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting scratch cooking in schools and established the Healthy School Food Pathway program, a first-in-the-nation training program focused on building a school nutrition workforce
Our Food Insecurity Partnerships
NextGen partners with Alchemist CDC, a mission-driven organization that connects Sacramento area communities to land, food, and opportunity toward a vision in which all neighborhoods are vibrant, equitable, healthy, and diverse. We are encouraged by the work they do and pleased to be partners with them in the food insecurity space.
School Meals for All Win!
School Meals for All was fully funded in the State Budget for 2026, with a $90.7 million increase to accommodate growing student participation and the program’s continued success. A recent study found that states with universal free school meals see a 12% reduction in household food insecurity — further underscoring the importance of this investment. NextGen collected powerful stories from California educators and families about the program’s impact, and co-hosted a legislative staff briefing with state Senator Caroline Menjivar (SD-20) to deepen understanding and support in the legislature.
Healthy School Food Pathway Program Win!
In partnership with the Chef Ann Foundation, we secured $10 million in the 2025 State Budget for a one-year extension of the Healthy School Food Pathway program. This program is the first federally and state-registered apprenticeship and workforce pipeline focused on school nutrition, providing hands-on career development and training in preparing fresh, locally sourced, healthy meals for students. To highlight the program’s importance and impact on the communities served, NextGen partnered with state Senator Monique Limón (SD 19) to host a legislative briefing on how the legislature can build a school nutrition workforce for the future and support program participants in sharing their powerful stories and testimonials directly with state leaders.
Food Insecurity in the News
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