California is home to more than 9 million children, yet far too many struggle to access the nutrition they need to learn, grow, and thrive. The reality is stark—more than one in four California households with children (25.8%) experience food insecurity, with even higher rates among Black (28.7%) and Latino (31.2%) families.
Millions of children and their families across the state rely on safety net programs operated by schools, community organizations, and childcare providers to meet their nutritional needs. But too often, these programs are inadequate, leaving families struggling to fill the gaps. These disparities highlight an urgent crisis—one that demands immediate and sustained action to ensure every child in California has reliable access to the food they need to thrive.
Nourish California has a long history of securing policy wins for students and young learners, from expanding access to free and reduced-price school meals to removing barriers to CalFresh. Most recently, we have worked alongside state and local partners to implement and strengthen the SUN Bucks program.
Though we will continue our advocacy to ensure children have access to the food they need, we are taking a step back to center community voices in this work. This seed campaign will focus on partnering with students and parents to shape policy solutions that ensure children have access to food in and outside of school. We are deepening our commitment to community-driven change by listening, learning, and working alongside youth groups, parent groups, and other community groups to co-create policy solutions that truly meet families’ needs. With the Every Kid, Every Day campaign, we are working to transform advocacy in this space by shifting power to those most impacted and ensuring their voices lead the way.
Food insecurity is not inevitable—it is a policy choice. By listening, engaging, and acting together, we can build a future where Every Child in California is nourished Every Day.
