WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) led the introduction of the Caregivers, Access, and Responsible Expansion for Kids Act of 2024 (CARE for Kids Act), bipartisan legislation co-led by Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) and Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). The CARE for Kids Act expands access to free and reduced-price meals to support millions of children being raised by grandparents and other relatives.
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, over 2.4 million children nationwide are cared for by grandparents or other relatives. While the School Breakfast and National School Lunch programs can help ease the financial burden for caregivers, even modest income can, in some cases, keep the children in their care from qualifying for school meal assistance.
Additionally, current law fails to authorize automatic eligibility and enrollment procedures around school meal assistance for certain vulnerable children, such as those placed in alternative or informal care arrangements.
As a result, many students who would otherwise qualify for and receive school meal assistance are currently excluded from vital food support programs. The CARE for Kids Act would support these children and their caretakers by building on existing school meal eligibility for children living in alternative care and foster care.
“Ensuring students in need can access school-based food assistance programs, no matter who their guardian is or where they live, is vital to ending child hunger,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “As someone who was raised by their grandmother, I understand how challenging it can be for family members to take on the burden of caring for a child. By expanding program eligibility and closing assistance gaps, the CARE for Kids Act will help feed children in need and reduce costs for their caregivers.”
“Not only is a safe, loving home important for children, so is a well-balanced nutritional meal,” said Representative Bacon. “As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, I know that the CARE for Kids Act will ensure these children have access to a healthy lifestyle and their families will receive the support they need. I appreciate working with Congresswoman Hayes on this effort."
"In North Carolina and across the country, too many children are facing food insecurity and rely on school lunches to sustain them,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross. “It’s unacceptable that many students do not qualify for vital food support programs simply because they are being cared for by a grandparent, relative, or other caregiver. That's why I am proud to join Representatives Hayes and Bacon in introducing the bipartisan CARE for Kids Act, which will close these harmful eligibility gaps and help ensure all students have access to healthy meals at school.”
The CARE for Kids Act has been endorsed by the Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families (CAFAF), Food and Research Action Center (FRAC), the National Education Association, and End Hunger Connecticut!.
“The CARE for Kids Act is a huge step toward ensuring all children have access to nutritious meals at school, regardless of their living situation,” said Julieth Callejas, Executive Director of End Hunger Connecticut!. Expanding eligibility for free school breakfasts and lunches to children in caregiver and relative placements increases supports to some of our most vulnerable students. We know hungry children cannot learn. We commend Congresswoman Hayes for her continued dedication to improving the well-being of children and families through this important legislation.”
As written, the CARE for Kids Act would ensure that local education agencies (LEAs), including Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, have the option to provide automatic eligibility, certification, and assistance to children in the following categories:
Children Cared for by a Relative Who Receives Adoption or Guardianship Assistance
- While children in foster care are eligible for free meals, children who are placed in more stable, long-term caregiving arrangements are not.
- Providing automatic eligibility for children who are placed in permanent guardianship or who are adopted out of foster care would ease the burden on the families who have taken on caring for them, such as grandparents.
Children Cared for by Grandparents or Other Relatives Due to Placement by a State or Tribal Child Welfare Agency
- Child welfare agencies frequently use relatives to divert children from foster care and often use relative placements to ensure children have a way to leave foster care.
- The CARE for Kids Act ensures that children directed out of foster care into stable placements can still access free meals without the welfare agency’s involvement.
Children Living in “Grandfamily” Housing or Receiving Housing Assistance under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996
- Children with unstable living conditions may be determined categorically eligible for free meals through the assistance of a homeless or runaway liaison in the school district.
- The CARE for Kids Act would allow a child living in a housing development dedicated to low-income families with a grandparent or other older relative caregiver or in a development receiving affordable housing assistance under NAHASDA to be determined categorically eligible.
Children Automatically Eligible for Free Meals through Medicaid Participation, but Are Not Able To Be Certified
- Some children who are automatically eligible for Medicaid, such as children formerly in foster care or children with a disability, do not have an income verification completed for them to receive Medicaid benefits. Without income verification, LEAs are unable to directly certify a child, although the child is categorically eligible for free meals.
- This CARE for Kids Act would fix this issue, allowing all children deemed categorically through Medicaid participation to have access to free meals.
The CARE for Kids Act also:
Extends Eligibility for Children Already Receiving Reduced or Free Meals Placed under the Care of a Grandparent or Other Relative
- The year immediately following a child’s placement with a grandparent or other relative is often disruptive and challenging for the child and caregivers, with new financial obligations for the relatives caring for the child.
- For children who were already receiving reduced or free meals prior to their placement with a grandparent or other relative, the CARE for Kids Act allows for the extension of their eligibility for an additional year, ensuring continuity and support for health meal access during the time of transition.
A one-pager on the CARE for Kids Act can be found here, and the full bill text can be found here.