Discover the power of school meals in these videos from the NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate:
Funding was allocated so New Jersey could produce video content that could walk families, teachers and stakeholders through the school meal application itself as well as to provide more information about the importance of school meals and the legislation that NJ created to expand the number of families that might be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. The funding and responsibility for producing the videos was transferred to New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate, an in but not of agency of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, in December 2025. Governor Sherrill signed legislation in June 2026 requiring all schools in NJ to make the school meal application easy to find on school websites and for schools to post the videos on their sites and make them accessible.
Below, please find the links to each video on school meals that are now available on the NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate YouTube channel. These additions include videos on NJEIE, the importance of the school meals application, and a general video about the power of school meals.
School Meals Application: More than a Meal
A鈥疭tep-by-Step Guide鈥痶o Completing the School Meals鈥痑nd Summer EBT鈥疉pplication, narrated by Mark Dinglasan, Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate鈥痑nd a New Jersey parent himself.鈥疐eaturing close-up visuals of the School Meals鈥痑nd Summer EBT Application and section cards, this explainer offers parents the choice of watching the video straight through or鈥痝oing directly to the section of the application where they want help.鈥�
NJ Expanded Income Eligibility Means More Families Can Access Nourishing School Meals at No Cost
More school-age children now qualify for free school meals for the first time, thanks to New Jersey Expanded Income Eligibility (NJEIE) guidelines.鈥疕owever, parents might not realize they qualify鈥痑nd鈥痵imply need to鈥痗omplete a School Meals and Summer EBT Application for this school year. Hear how more families can harness the power of school meals to nourish their鈥痗hildren, save time and money, and鈥痚nsure a brighter future.
School Meals: Nourishing Student Success, Household Savings and Community Well-being
In New Jersey, school meals have the power to nourish鈥痟ouseholds, schools,鈥痗ommunities鈥�and ultimately, students.鈥疞isten to how schools and communities across the state are鈥痑ccomplishing鈥痶his through the School Meals and Summer EBT Application; by鈥痶apping into鈥痜ederal nutrition programs to get ahead of meal costs while serving more students, and by preparing afterschool dinners, and bring these ideas to your school district.鈥�