Michigan legislators visit Marquette school to hand out free breakfast

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - All children in public schools across the U.P. have access to free breakfast and lunch for this school year thanks to a bill signed by Governor Whitmer in July.

Representative Jenn Hill and Senator Ed McBroom started their day by serving students breakfast at Superior Hills Elementary School on Friday. They utilized the morning to highlight the new state budget allocation guaranteeing all Michigan students free breakfast and lunch. Both Hill and McBroom said a free meal allows students to focus in class rather than being hungry.

“It’s great to be in the school early in the morning and see a lot of students excited for their new day of classes. I had a great chat with one young man who’s excited about his science class and building things, and it’s been fun, fun morning to see,” Sen. McBroom said.

“You have to have a full belly to be able to pay attention and avoid those mid-morning meltdowns. So we want to make sure the kids are full, are ready to go and learn with a good breakfast and a good lunch,” Rep. Hill said.

Marquette Area Public Schools Food Service Manager Chris Collins said September is usually a slower month for meals. But Collins said that there has been a noticeable increase in meals being served since free meals began this year.

“On average, we’re somewhere in 1,800 to 2,000 meals per day. Right now, we’re about 2,000 to 2,200 meals per day, so we’re definitely seeing an uptick in our meal sales,” Collins said.

While breakfast and lunch are still free Collins said there is still a vital form parents need to fill out.

“We still do want families to fill out the free reduced meal application because school funding is based on this application and approval of benefits. So we want families to continue to fill out those forms so we can get the proper funding for our school,” Collins said.

Collins said the number of meals is expected to go up as the school year progresses.

Copyright 2023 WLUC. All rights reserved.