Millions of Children Lose SNAP Benefits, Threatening Free School Meal Programs
Millions of children are losing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits, which is now jeopardizing universal free school meal programs across the United States. Republican lawmakers secured cuts to SNAP last year through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included stricter work requirements for receiving food assistance. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that over a million children have lost food benefits since July 2025. This decline in SNAP participation directly impacts school meal programs because SNAP enrollment often qualifies children for free school meals. Consequently, dozens of schools nationwide, including those in San Antonio, Houston, and Miami-Dade County, have ended their universal free meal programs this academic year. School nutrition experts, like Diane Pratt-Heavner of the School Nutrition Association, warn that the full impact of these changes will become more apparent in the coming years, potentially leading to a much worse situation. 
