The CARE for Kids Act of 2024 expands eligibility for free and reduced-price school meals to additional vulnerable children, particularly those in non-traditional family situations. The bill specifically adds automatic eligibility for children placed with grandparents or other relatives through child welfare agencies, children receiving adoption or kinship guardianship assistance payments, and children living in low-income housing with elderly caregivers or in Native American housing programs. The legislation also allows school meal eligibility determinations to transfer between schools when a child moves to a different school district, and it extends eligibility for an additional year if the child recently began living with a grandparent or relative caregiver. Additionally, the bill includes children receiving Medicaid assistance through foster care or supplemental security income in the direct certification process, which automatically qualifies them for meals without requiring separate applications.
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