Raja Krishnamoorthi Introduces Universal Lunch Bill to Keep Illinois Children Fed

Raja Krishnamoorthi ,Photo courtesy of STH Media
Raja Krishnamoorthi ,Photo courtesy of STH Media

Raja Krishnamoorthi Introduces Universal Lunch Bill to Keep Illinois Children Fed

This week, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi introduced the Kids Need Lunch Act, legislation to guarantee that every child in Illinois and across the country has access to a free school lunch. A dad of three, Raja is fighting to make sure no student goes hungry while they are trying to learn at school.

With food insecurity continuing to affect families across Illinois, many children rely on school meals as their most dependable source of food during the day.

“No American child should go hungry when they should be focused on learning in school,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Yet in communities across Illinois, too many students attend school hungry. This bill ensures every child can count on a meal at school, without stigma or barriers, so they can focus on learning and growing. Feeding children is not just an act of compassion — it is a commitment to their education and our future.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, roughly one in nine Illinois children experiences food insecurity, underlining the critical role school meals play in keeping students fed while they learn. By making school lunch a universal guarantee, the Kids Need Lunch Act helps ensure Illinois children have what they need to learn, grow, and succeed — regardless of their family’s income.

A product of public housing, food stamps, and public schools, Raja is tackling the affordability crisis head-on. Earlier this year, Raja introduced his Plan to Restore the American Dream and Make Life More Affordable, a sweeping 24-point economic agenda that tackles everything from eliminating federal taxes on Social Security benefits and supporting first-time homeowners to making sure no American child goes hungry.

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