There are many families struggling right now to put food on the table. I work really hard to provide for my family, but with rising costs, mine is one of them. I was happy to see the recent piece in your paper about the Healthy School Meals for All (HSMA) program,
“Colorado Lawmakers Advance Bill to Fully Fund Free School Meals Program”.
HSMA provides more than 600,000 free meals to students each day. These meals help kids to pay attention and do better in school. Children who receive a meal at school are also more likely to be in good health. They visit the nurse less often and have fewer behavioral and social challenges.
HSMA doesn’t just help to meet kids’ nutritional needs — it also saves families up to $1,300 per child per year. I know for my family, it has made a huge impact.
This program is growing and we need our lawmakers to make sure it not only continues, but that we do not deny any kids who could go hungry this critical support. It is a smart investment in our students and our communities. I urge our lawmakers to support Healthy School Meals for All for my family and families throughout our state by passing House Bill 25-1274.
Sincerely,
Nieves Aragon
