Governor Spencer J. Cox (R) of Utah will redirect $1.2 million of American Rescue Plan Emergency Assistance to schools for a grant program to erase meal debt incurred by low-income families.

In announcing his intention Governor Cox stated, “Our students are the future of Utah and investing in their health and education is vital to the success of our state.”   He added, “We are committed to ensuring Utah students receive the meals they need.”

Meal debt is a significant problem for school districts as confirmed by the School Nutrition Association that determined that 93 percent of their members who impose fees for meals regard debt as “a significant challenge to their programs.”