School lunches will no longer be free for all students when the new school year starts in a few weeks.
When the COVID pandemic hit, the federal government took steps to fight food insecurity among kids by loosening the rules of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program. The changes allowed schools to provide free meals to all students, regardless of their family’s financial status.
But when the federal government approved the country’s most recent budget, it cut back on some of its pandemic-related spending. That included universal free meals next school year.
The result is that the National School Lunch Program will revert to its pre-pandemic state. Families will once again have to apply to take part in the program that offers free or reduced cost meals to students.
Children are automatically eligible for free meals if anyone in their household gets SNAP, TANF of FDPRI benefits.
Children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, runaway youth or children of migrant workers also all qualify for free school meals when their household fills out an application.
Children can also qualify for free or reduced costs meals based on their household income. The following are the maximum household incomes to receive benefits for the 2022-23 school year:
• $25,142: Household of one
• $33,874: Household of two
• $42,606: Household of three.
• $51,338: Household of four.
• $60,070: Household of five.
• $68,802: Household of six.
• $77,534: Household of seven.
• $86,266: Household of eight.
• $4,720: add for each additional family member.
Some school districts with high poverty levels are able to provide free lunches and breakfasts for all students through the community eligibility provision of the federal Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act.
Families who qualify must fill out an application to take part in the free or reduced cost lunch program.
Universal free school lunches come to an end - Main Line
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