- Bill proposes free meals for low-income college students
- Expanding apprenticeships to different industries
Bill proposes free meals for low-income college students
Democrats have introduced bicameral legislation that would bring free meal programs to community colleges and minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to help address food insecurity for students at those institutions.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-California) introduced the Food For Though Act along with Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-California), and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico). The American Association of Community Colleges is among the organizations supporting the bill.
“Low-income students face enough challenges in higher education without the added burden of wondering where their next meal is coming from,” Welch said in a release. “The Food for Thought Act will give these students a helping hand by allowing some educational institutions to provide free meals on-campus.”
In addition, the bill also would provide funding to share information with participating students on eligibility for federal food assistance programs like SNAP and collect data on food insecurity on campuses to expand anti-hunger programs. Colleges also could use the funds to update much-needed food infrastructure on campus that students can use and build food pantries and community gardens on campus.
Expanding apprenticeships to different industries
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced $17 million to intermediaries to continue to scale up apprenticeships and to expand the programs in industries that haven’t traditionally used them.
Seven organizations will use the funding to expand multi-employers apprenticeship models in critical sectors that will include a focus on increasing career pathways, particularly for underrepresented populations, in education and the care economy, clean energy, cybersecurity, hospitality and transportation.
