Welcome to the Halal School Meals Network

First in the Nation

We are proud to have launched the nation’s first 3rd-party certified Halal school meals program in collaboration with Food For All Services, Cumberland County Food Security Council, the Foundation for Portland Public Schools, the internationally accredited certifier IFANCA, and our partner districts: Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook School Districts in Maine.

Chef Khadija Ahmed and Chef Sam Gasbarro presenting at South Portland High School in Maine.
IFANCA visiting Westbrook School District in Maine

The Facts

According to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, the majority of Muslims prefer to keep Halal (87% versus 13%) and ISPU finds that Muslim Americans are twice as likely (10% versus 4%) as the general public to face food insecurity. Many Muslim students nationwide experience hunger and food insecurity due to a lack of suitable Halal options at school. In Maine, there is a growing body of Muslim students, many of whom come from low-income and food insecure households. For Halal-observing students from low-income refugee and immigrant families, free school meals are not necessarily an accessible option if they do not offer Halal meals. Food and nutrition insecurity in the K-12 population often has serious implications for student learning and wellness, such as underdevelopment, underperformance, and lasting physical and socio-emotional effects.