A Pennsylvania state Representative proposed a bill to fight student hunger and reduce food waste.
State Representative Bob Merski (D-Erie) introduced the “Shared Table” bill which would allow schools to address student hunger by creating a shared table.
Students with unopened items in their lunch that they don’t plan on eating can put them on the table for other students to have.
State Rep. Merski said that this is a way to eliminate waste and not cost tax players more money.
“Before I was in the legislator, I was a teacher for 19 years in both Erie’s public and Catholic schools and I can tell you firsthand from my experience that some students do go hungry and especially now that SNAP benefits have been decreased,” Rep. Merski said. “If we have food that’s just being thrown out, it just makes sense that we would give it to kids who are hungry.”
State Rep. Merski said that this bill already has bi-partisan and administration support along with Republican co-sponsors.