NEWS

Free lunch, breakfast waiver comes to an end

Posted 5/18/22

BY ALEX MALM

When schools returned to in person learning during the pandemic  in 2020 all student lunches and breakfasts were free.

Now two years later the nationwide waiver has ended …

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NEWS

Free lunch, breakfast waiver comes to an end

Posted

BY ALEX MALM

When schools returned to in person learning during the pandemic  in 2020 all student lunches and breakfasts were free.

Now two years later the nationwide waiver has ended starting with the 2022-2023 school year.

Cam Machado, the Director of non-instructional services for the Warwick School Department told the School Committee during their meeting last week that they are encouraging families to begin applying for free and reduced lunch as soon as the application becomes available in late June or July.

Machado said that throughout the pandemic the participation in school meals have doubled.

“We currently average 6,932 daily meals, which includes both breakfast and lunch,” said Machado.

It was pointed out by Machado that some of the benefits that the school district can receive based on the number of families they have enrolled in the National School Lunch Program includes:

  • Increase in educational funding
  • Cash subsidies and donated commodities from the USDA
  • Telecommunications and Internet Access Discount Programs for the community
  • Title-I federal funds are provided to school districts for extra services for students
  • Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Snack Programs’

Machado said that they rely heavily on the school principals to help encourage families to apply for free and reduced lunch. She said that now that applications are done online it is much more private and she hopes that it will lead to more families applying.

Committee Chair Judy Cobden said that it is critical that families apply.

“We need to full court press this,” said Cobden.

Elementary and secondary breakfasts will be $1.85  with reduced breakfasts being $.30.  Elementary lunch will be $2.75 and secondary lunch will be $3.25. Reduced lunch will be $.40.

Families can apply by going to family.titank12.com/

free lunch, free school lunch

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