One in five American children live below the poverty line.
Over 2.9 million students live in households where they are unsure when they might get their next meal.
Around 30 million students around the country qualify for free or reduced cost school lunches through a federal program called the National School Lunch Program.
A New York Times report released this week shows how a new rule being proposed by the Department of Agriculture to restrict access to food stamps (one qualifier for free school lunches) could kick more than 500,000 students off their lunch plan.
States with the most students eligible for federally subsidized free lunches also tend to have the most cases of child poverty, INSIDER found.
INSIDER reviewed federal data to find out how dependent on free lunches students were in every US state.
The top ten most dependent states were all based in the southern United States.
Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.
If you’ve ever tried to complete a work day or study for a test on an empty stomach, you probably understand the importance of a healthy stable diet for success. For students, that fuel usually comes in the form of daily school lunches, yet, for millions of American children, paying for school lunch is a luxury they simply cannot afford.
A report released by UNICEF found one in five American children falls below the poverty line. Of the 35 countries the report analyzed, the United States ranked a shocking 34th when it came to child poverty. That all adds up to nearly three million American children officially recognized as food insecure by the US Department of Agriculture. When these children return home from school, the prospect of a hot meal waiting for them on the dinner table is far from certain. The lunch provided at school could be the only meal they eat all day.
A school lunch might not initially seem like an expensive line item, but those lunches can add up. In some cases, students and their families are taking on school lunch debt, sometimes with dire consequences. Earlier this month a school district in Pennsylvania threatened to have children removed from their families and sent to foster care if their parents did not pay off their lunch debt.
Luckily, many of these students can benefit from free and reduced-cost lunches through a federal subsidy called the National School Lunch Program. First formed in 1946 under the Truman Administration, the program has since expanded and helped fill the bellies of 30.4 million kids in 2016. Nearly 100,000 of an estimated 130,000 US schools voluntarily participate in the program. Public schools and non-profit private schools all around the country receive cash subsidies from the federal government and use those subsidies to provide lunches to students free of charge.
Total number of students: 194,001
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 9.8%
Number of students eligible: 48,904
Percentage of students eligible: 25.2%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, National Center for Education Statistics, Center for American Progress
Total number of students: 94,273
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 10.7%
Number of students eligible: 30,683
Percentage of students eligible: 31.7%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,356,882
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 13.8%
Number of students eligible: 444,735
Percentage of students eligible: 32.8%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 955,301
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 13.2%
Number of students eligible: 444,735
Percentage of students eligible: 34.2%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 552,919
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 12.4%
Number of students eligible: 190,554
Percentage of students eligible: 34.5%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 837,930
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 11.3%
Number of students eligible: 296,756
Percentage of students eligible: 36.5%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,250,206
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 13.7%
Number of students eligible: 444,715
Percentage of students eligible: 36.7%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 85,144
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 13.4%
Number of students eligible: 29,529
Percentage of students eligible: 36.8%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 125,883
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 16.3%
Number of students eligible: 45,956
Percentage of students eligible: 37.1%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 88,779
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 13.0%
Number of students eligible: 31,054
Percentage of students eligible: 37.1%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 585,552
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 10.4%
Number of students eligible: 223,943
Percentage of students eligible: 38.2%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 132,104
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 14.3%
Number of students eligible: 50,701
Percentage of students eligible: 38.2%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 484,856
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 11.9%
Number of students eligible: 188,486
Percentage of students eligible: 38.9%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 872,164
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 14.0%
Number of students eligible: 342,660
Percentage of students eligible: 39.3%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,742,608
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 16.7%
Number of students eligible: 686,641
Percentage of students eligible: 39.4%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 842,864
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 11.7%
Number of students eligible: 319,404
Percentage of students eligible: 39.9%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,043,466
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 13.8%
Number of students eligible: 428,258
Percentage of students eligible: 40.1%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 852,202
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 11.7%
Number of students eligible: 324,904
Percentage of students eligible: 40.1%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 140,497
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 14.4%
Number of students eligible: 57,836
Percentage of students eligible: 41.2%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 298,276
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 13.6%
Number of students eligible: 127,114
Percentage of students eligible: 42.6%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,747,851
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 19.7%
Number of students eligible: 745,121
Percentage of students eligible: 42.6%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 142,575
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 16.4%
Number of students eligible: 61,127
Percentage of students eligible: 42.9%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 183,477
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 12.4%
Number of students eligible: 78,915
Percentage of students eligible: 43%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 275,815
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 15.0%
Number of students eligible: 124,104
Percentage of students eligible: 45%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Idaho.gov, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 902,375
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 18.1%
Number of students eligible: 406,358
Percentage of students eligible: 45%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,067,210
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 20.4%
Number of students eligible: 482,044
Percentage of students eligible: 45.2%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,551,861
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 19.3%
Number of students eligible: 719,800
Percentage of students eligible: 46.4%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,973,401
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 16.8%
Number of students eligible: 921,471
Percentage of students eligible: 46.7%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,038,817
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 17.9%
Number of students eligible: 474,326
Percentage of students eligible: 46.8%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 179,601
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 11.0%
Number of students eligible: 84,106
Percentage of students eligible: 46.8%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 479,953
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 14.4%
Number of students eligible: 228,852
Percentage of students eligible: 47.7%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 128,342
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 18.3%
Number of students eligible: 61,564
Percentage of students eligible: 48%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 2,722,761
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 19.4%
Number of students eligible: 1,315,564
Percentage of students eligible: 48.3%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 4,916,401
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 20.7%
Number of students eligible: 2,471,212
Percentage of students eligible: 50.3%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,487,699
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 20.9%
Number of students eligible: 747,978
Percentage of students eligible: 50.3%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 426,838
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 18.2%
Number of students eligible: 219,904
Percentage of students eligible: 50.3%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 553,468
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 15.9%
Number of students eligible: 280,174
Percentage of students eligible: 50.6%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 282,879
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 25.5%
Number of students eligible: 147,036
Percentage of students eligible: 51.5%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 6,169,427
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 17.8%
Number of students eligible: 3,335,885
Percentage of students eligible: 54.1%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 722,203
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 22.3%
Number of students eligible: 395,033
Percentage of students eligible: 54.7%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 987,078
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 20.9%
Number of students eligible: 542,953
Percentage of students eligible: 55%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 730,427
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 24.3%
Number of students eligible: 411,067
Percentage of students eligible: 55.1%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 2,641,555
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 20%
Number of students eligible: 1,479,519
Percentage of students eligible: 56%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 673,128
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 22%
Number of students eligible: 380,773
Percentage of students eligible: 56.6%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 1,676,419
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 20.7%
Number of students eligible: 961,954
Percentage of students eligible: 57.4%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 482,114
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 22.1%
Number of students eligible: 286,477
Percentage of students eligible: 60.5%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 659,376
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 21.2%
Number of students eligible: 398,917
Percentage of students eligible: 60.5%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 695,772
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 27.8%
Number of students eligible: 460,546
Percentage of students eligible: 66.2%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Prosperity, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 335,810
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 27%
Number of students eligible: 227,077
Percentage of students eligible: 67.6%
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
Total number of students: 489,462
Percentage of kids living below the poverty line: 26.7%
Number of students eligible: 344,107
Percentage of students eligible: 70.6 %
Sources: Food and Research Action Center, Center for American Progress, National Center for Education Statistics