October 10, 2022 |
The bell rang on free school lunches this year.
With the expiration of the Department of Agriculture Free Breakfast and Lunch Program, students across the country are paying for their school meals again. Started in March of 2020, in response to hardships caused by COVID-19, the USDA allowed all students, regardless of income, to qualify for free lunches.
June 30th marked the end of the free meal program, making this school term the first in 2 years where parents had to pay for their child’s school meals.
The new Superintendent of Carbon County School District Two Darren Jennings said that the expiration of the free meal program hasn’t caused any noticeable problems. Jennings said with parents having to pay out-of-pocket again, he has seen an up-tick in kids packing lunches.
Families on tight budgets have a tough choice to make. Do they spend money they don’t have to send their kids to school with lunches, or take advantage of the meals provided by the schools and opt not to pay? Unpaid student lunches can add up. A food truck that has been setting up in Saratoga has promised to donate a portion of their proceeds to cover that cost. Jennings said he would appreciate the financial help.
Inflation has everyone digging deeper into their pockets for food. This past July, the USDA increased funding to schools so they may continue to provide nutritious meals even with increased overhead costs.
Parents of Carbon County have to go back to the way things were before COVID-19. It seems like they have adapted to this change already.
Pictured above: Photo courtesy Wyoming Angel Accounts/Wyoming Hunger Initiative website.
