CARE for Kids Act of 2024

The CARE for Kids Act of 2024 expands eligibility for free school meals under the National School Lunch Program. It adds new categories of children who automatically qualify, including those in kinship care (e.g., with grandparents or relatives who have legal authority), children receiving adoption or kinship guardianship payments, and children living in designated low-income housing with older caregivers. The bill also requires school districts to honor existing meal eligibility for children who transfer to a new district, extending it by one year if they began living with a qualifying relative caregiver within the prior 12 months. Additionally, it links Medicaid eligibility to school meal eligibility, automatically qualifying children receiving Medicaid benefits under specific programs. This primarily affects low-income children and school districts administering meal programs.