MICHIGAN, USA — A federal program for free school lunches ended June 30. That means students heading back to school this fall will need to begin paying for their lunches.
The program began as a pandemic response in March of 2020. Congress authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture to issue waivers for school nutrition programs.
"I think my biggest fear is that we will see hungry students," said Diane Golzynski, the director of the Office of Health and Nutrition Services with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). "And we know that hungry students cannot learn."
However, there are still options for students.
Golzynski encourages parents to apply now for free or reduced lunches through their school district. Every public district in the state is required to participate in the federal program. Also, if more than 20% of students qualify for free or reduced lunches, the district is required to provide breakfast.
"What we don't want to see is a lot of meal debt racking up at school," said Golzynski. "We don't want parents to all of a sudden get a bill for a couple hundred dollars for school lunches, when their kids just simply didn't realize that they didn't get free meals at school any longer, when that's what they've been doing for two years."
Reduced and free lunches are determined based on family income, number of people in the household and more factors that would affect a family's ability to pay for school lunches. A reduced lunch costs a family 40 cents for lunch, and 30 cents for breakfast.
Golzynski said the federal program offering free lunches for all made a huge impact.
"For all of our kids to know they can go to school and get a meal, breakfast or lunch, or both, if they were hungry and they wanted to," said Golzynski, "without having to worry about paying for it."
Also, many districts have other programs available for students. Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS), West Michigan's largest school district, offers free lunch and breakfast to all students regardless of the pandemic-era program.
GRPS qualifies for a program called Community Eligibility Provision. They have been offering free breakfast and lunch for the past seven years.
"It makes all the difference in the world," said Jennifer Laninga, the supervisor of nutrition services for GRPS. "With removing the cost factor of the school meals, it allows all students to be on equal playing ground to receiving the meals. It removes the stigma of free and reduced meals category."
Currently, GRPS is on year two of a four-year commitment, so free breakfast and lunch will be offered for at least two more years. Laninga said they hope to continue the program going beyond that.
"Many children may not get everything they need at home, especially on busy school mornings running out the door," said Laninga. "We can offer them a nutritious breakfast that lets them start the day right and lets them learn. A balanced, nutritious lunch that gets them through the afternoon so they’re not too fatigued."
Parents do not need to sign up for anything to receive free breakfast and lunch at GRPS, as long as their child is enrolled in the district.
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