Copyright Boulder Daily Camera
By Daniel Asher The measure of any community lies in how it treats its children. This November, Boulder County voters have the chance to reaffirm that value by voting “yes” on ballot measures LL and MM, which will continue funding for free, healthy school meals for all Colorado students. The need is undeniable. According to Hunger Free Colorado, two out of five Colorado families struggle to put food on the table. Hunger doesn’t just affect health; it directly impacts classroom performance, attendance and emotional well-being. Children who are hungry can’t focus, can’t learn and can’t thrive. The Healthy School Meals for All program, launched statewide in 2023, has already transformed how Colorado schools nourish their students. Every day, it provides roughly 600,000 free, nutritious meals, breakfast and lunch, to children from all backgrounds. It has eliminated meal debt, reduced peer-to-peer stigma for low-income students, and strengthened the connection between schools and local food producers. Measures LL and MM will maintain and expand this vital program. They ensure that every child, regardless of family income, has consistent access to two healthy meals during the school day, meals that make up about two-thirds of their daily nutrition. These meals often feature ingredients grown and raised in Colorado, supporting local farmers, ranchers and producers. Here’s how the funding works: households earning over $300,000 annually would contribute about $480 per year to sustain the program. That contribution (less than $10 a week) allows every Colorado child to eat well at school. To put it in perspective, the annual cost of feeding a student through this program is around $960 per school year. For less than half that cost, our most fortunate households can help guarantee that all children are well-fed and ready to learn. This initiative also addresses a persistent challenge within school systems: fair compensation for the people who cook and serve these meals. The funding from LL and MM will help ensure living wages for school foodservice workers, who are essential members of our education system. They are often the first to greet our children each morning and the last to see them before they head home; the quiet heroes who nourish both body and spirit. The long-term benefits of this investment are significant. Universal school meal programs have been shown nationwide to improve student behavior, reduce nurse visits and raise test scores. They promote inclusion and equity by removing the social divide that can appear in cafeterias when some kids have lunch and others don’t. When every student eats together, everyone belongs. Food is the foundation of learning. It fuels curiosity, confidence and community. And in a time when economic disparities continue to widen, ensuring access to food is one of the simplest, most effective ways to level the playing field. LL and MM aren’t partisan measures. They’re common-sense, community-minded initiatives that strengthen both our children and our local economy. They reflect the Colorado values of fairness, compassion, and shared responsibility. As a parent of five and someone who works in foodservice, I see every day how access to healthy food changes lives. We can’t solve every issue facing our schools, but we can make sure hunger isn’t one of them. When you fill out your ballot, remember what kind of community we want to be — one that takes care of its own, invests in its children, and builds resilience from the ground up. Vote “yes” on LL and MM. Because feeding kids isn’t charity; it’s common sense. Daniel Asher is a Colorado chef, restaurant owner/operator, food advocate and father of five. He works at the intersection of sustainable food systems and community well-being. He lives in Jamestown.
