But on July 22, the Miami-Dade County School Board voted to end its universal school lunch program, reversing a policy that had given free meals to all children, regardless of their household income. Universal lunch is a policy that helps all students feel like they belong and develop a cohesive civic identity. I was extremely proud of Miami-Dade’s universal free lunch policy as a uniting force that promoted cohesive school cultures across our diverse city. This makes an immense difference: Universal free lunch is associated with improved academic performance, attendance, health and nutrition. In the public schools, universal lunch lowers the stigma of being poor.