Special Event: State of 10 Cents a Meal Educational Event

Monday, August 10, 2026

Special Event: State of 10 Cents a Meal Educational Event

State of 10 Cents a Meal

Join us on Thursday, August 13, 1pm ET

Partial funding for 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids and Farms (10 Cents a Meal) program was restored in Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2027 School Aid Budget; however, administrative funding was removed from the final bill package. Without administrative funds for Michigan Department of Education to run the program, there are many questions about the future of this work.

What: Join "State of 10 Cents a Meal" to get informed on where this program stands right now. Learn what it takes to run the program, what "no administrative" funding means, and why that leaves everyone in a place of uncertainty around what is next for the 2026-2027 school year.

Why: Advocacy from educators, farmers, parents, health advocates, and communities across the state worked hard to get 10 Cents funding restored. And it worked! But non-school sponsors have become ineligible for funding in 2027, due to adjustments made outside of program control and without administrative funding, we cannot assume the program will look the same as it has in years past.

While decisions are being made, we invite you to join an education-focused State of 10 Cents a Meal meeting on this Thursday, August 13, 1-1:30 pm.

Join via this Zoom link or click here to add this meeting to your calendar.

Click to Join

Please share this invite widely! Ask funders, legislators, and folks new and old to join the call so we can leave the meeting with a shared understanding of the state of 10 Cents a Meal in this moment.

Get connected!

Get in touch with fellow Michigan Farm to School and Early Care and Education leaders and practitioners! Subscribe to the listservs to connect directly with your peers:

MIFARMTOECE

Sign up for the Michigan Farm to Early Care and Education listserv to receive updates and learn about farm to ECE work happening across the state.

MIFARMTOSCHOOL

Sign up to receive updates and get linked in with Michigan farm to school stakeholders, from school and ECE food service directors and administrators, to growers and distributors.

About Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network

The Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network collaborates so children ages birth to 18 can grow, choose, and eat nutritious local food in their educational settings.

Farm to School and Early Care in Michigan includes local food sourcing, ag and nutrition education, and gardening. Children, families, schools, providers, and farmers all benefit from farm to school and early care.

The Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network exists to:

improve access to local food,
increase nutritional awareness and health outcomes, and
support schools and providers as they work to improve children’s learning environments.

Contact Julie Lehman, Network Co-lead, at lehmanju@msu.edu with any questions, comments, ideas or for more information on the Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network.

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