Sen. Tipping to join advocates for press conference urging Legislature to support funding for school meals

AUGUSTA – On Thursday, April 11, at 12:00 p.m., Sen. Mike Tipping, D-Orono; Caroline Trinder, MSNA President-elect and Director of RSU23 Food Services and Justin Strasburger, Executive Director of Full Plates Full Potential will hold a press conference in the Hall of Flags at the Maine State House to urge lawmakers to support an amended version of LD 577, “An Act to Maximize Federal Funding and Protect Maine’s Universal School Meals Program.”

As the federal government considers cuts that would affect Maine’s “School Meals for All” program, which passed the Legislature in 2021 with a bipartisan majority, Sen. Tipping is proposing a sponsor’s amendment to his LD 577 that would protect the landmark program and ensure Maine students can continue to learn without worrying about an empty stomach. The sponsor’s amendment, attached to this advisory, was distributed to the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee’s interested parties list on April 3.

Sen. Tipping and advocates will underscore the importance of protecting the popular School Meals for All program. For schools in Sen. Tipping’s district, the impact of proposed federal cuts could be significant, with over $580,000 in federal funding potentially lost next school year and no schools eligible to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision that is being considered for cuts, based on estimates by Full Plates Full Protential using USDA and Maine Department of Education data. For more information and data on impact, please contact Colleen Frawley at Full Plates Full Potential – (207) 331-6399. 

Who: Sen. Mike Tipping, D-Orono

           Caroline Trinder, MSNA President-elect and Director of RSU23 Food Services

           Justin Strasburger, Executive Director of Full Plates Full Potential

What: Press Conference on Protecting School Meals for All

Where: Hall of Flags, Maine State House

When: Thursday, April 11, at 12:00 p.m.

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