A bill signed by President Joe Biden over the weekend is intended to allow summer meal distributions to remain widely available for students.
The pandemic-era federal aid that made school meals available for free to all public school students — regardless of family income levels — is ending, raising fears about the effects in the upcoming school year for families already struggling with rising food and fuel costs.
It also gives higher reimbursement for meals to schools while providing some flexibility to help them deal with increasing food prices and supply chain issues. Several states have taken it upon themselves to keep school meals free for all. “We make just too much money to qualify for free or reduced lunches and other food-related benefits, but not enough to truly ever feel financially comfortable,” Kate Murphy, a mother of four and administrator at a trust company, said.
“Families across the country are facing a very difficult reality of having to chose between feeding their kids or filling up their gas tank or purchasing medicine,” said Vince Hall, chief government relations officer for Feeding America, a nonprofit network of foodbanks. “It’s disappointing that the extension of the summer waivers would come so late that for the most part, they’re not going to be able to stem the dramatic loss in summer meal sites that are happening this summer,” said Anore Horton, executive director of Hunger Free Vermont.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Families brace for changes to pandemic-era free school mealsThe pandemic-era federal aid that made school meals available for free to all public school students — regardless of family income levels — is ending, raising fears about the effects in the upcoming school year for families already struggling with rising food and fuel costs.
Read more »
Families Brace for End of Pandemic-Era Free School Meals Amid Rising Food CostsThe pandemic-era federal aid that made school meals available for free to all public school students — regardless of family income levels — is ending, raising fears about the effects in the upcoming school year for families already struggling with rising food and fuel costs
Read more »
6 things we've learned about how the pandemic disrupted learningAs a third pandemic school year draws to a close, new research offers the clearest accounting yet of the pandemic's academic toll.
Read more »
Pride, pomp and protest: First pandemic-era Pride March draws massive crowds'We better remember the riots from where this all came from, and that Pride started as a protest,” said Nicole Maletta. “We all need to come together and make sure we're not going backwards. We need to find some Stonewall energy.'
Read more »
Congress extends pandemic school lunch waiversTens of millions of kids will still be able to eat for free at school this summer and into next year.
Read more »
Opinion: Nutrition waivers are needed to keep feeding hungry students in South Bay this fallCalifornia's Healthy School Meals for All legislation means the state will cover the cost of two nutritious meals each day for all children
Read more »