NEW YORK – GENYOUth, a youth wellness-focused nonprofit the dairy checkoff helped establish, shared details of a national survey regarding food insecurity and children, highlighting Americans’ support for addressing the issue through school meals. 

Among adults surveyed this summer, GENYOUth said 65% think more states should offer free school meal programs to all children, and 60% agreed with the sentiment that food insecurity among US children should be a national priority.

Wired Research conducted the online survey commissioned by GENYOUth, resulting in 1,008 nationally representative American adults participating in July 2024, the nonprofit said.

As the 2024-25 school year gets started, GENYOUth noted that nine states currently offer universal free school meals to children regardless of household income, and 28 states have such a plan under consideration.

The survey also found that roughly two in five adults know of one or more children who are impacted by food insecurity, while approximately 30% said they participated in a school meal program as a child, with more than 25% saying they faced food insecurity while growing up.

The nonprofit also pointed to data that shows one out of five US children faces hunger or is food insecure, with Black, Indigenous and Hispanic children being more likely to fall into that category. US Department of Agriculture statistics cited by GENYOUth revealed that the number of children living in food insecure households has increased by 45% since 2021.

Even so, the survey found that 64% of adults were not aware that roughly 20% of children must deal with food insecurity.

"With September as Hunger Action Month, now is the time to elevate the conversation and promote action," said Ann Marie Krautheim, GENYOUth’s chief executive officer. “Addressing youth hunger isn't just about physical health – it's about cognitive development, academic performance and emotional well-being. To truly make a difference, we need a multifaceted approach that includes robust support for school meal programs from business, community and government leaders, as well as local communities. This requires policy changes, increased awareness, funding support and education at every level."

Other findings from the survey included that nearly 60% of adults think US children get their healthiest meals at school, and 59% agreed that school meal programs are the “largest safety net” for food insecurity among children.

The nonprofit said school meal programs that offer milk, whole grains, fruit, vegetables and lean protein are “vital for advancing nutrition security and closing gaps by ensuring students get the nutrition they need to thrive.”

Krautheim said 30 million children in the US rely on school meals, but only 26% of adults knew that so many students depend on the resource.

"GENYOUth's mission is to help school children thrive by living well-nourished and active lives," Krautheim said. "As we ring the school bell to end student hunger, I am inspired by the belief that together we can ensure every child has access to the nutritious food they need to thrive. By engaging everyone — from business, government to local community leaders — we must raise our hands in support of and drive awareness for this crucial cause."