U.S. students might face hunger once free school meals program ends: NBC

NEW YORK, June 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. anti-hunger advocates fear that the soon-to-expire Congressional Child Nutrition Waivers that offer free school meals for students might cause problems for children, NBC News reported Saturday.

The federal free school meals program, which began in March 2020 and allows for free meals in school and other food assistance measures, are expiring on June 30.

If the waivers end as scheduled, experts foresee a crisis as families, already facing soaring prices at supermarkets, gas stations and elsewhere, lose access to meals that their children have counted on for the last two years.

The School Nutrition Association, a trade organization representing more than 50,000 school nutrition employees, are "very concerned about kids going hungry next year," NBC reported.