In recent years, the prevalence of obesity and diet-related diseases among children has risen significantly. A study presented at the European Congress on Obesity found that each unit increase in a child's BMI at age six more than doubled the likelihood of being overweight or obese by age 18. Over 2 million Pennsylvanians, including over 500,000 children, live in lower-income areas with limited access to healthy food. This underscores the critical importance of early intervention and establishing healthy eating habits from a young age. We believe that the health of our children and the elders in our community should be a top priority. Every child and elder deserves access to nutritious, healthy food, regardless of their family's income. Yet, many children in our community go to school without proper meals and many elders may not be able to eat due to underlying disabilities or lack of income. Imagine if these free programs that provide free meals were taken away. Access to healthy food can drastically improve children’s and elders' physical and mental well-being, reduce health disparities, and enhance learning outcomes. This is an investment in the future of our community.