Federal Funding Ending, Full-Priced School Lunches On Menu For 2022-23

St. Peters MO

10 April, 2022

3:45 AM

Description

Press release from the Francis Howell School District: April 8, 2022 While free meals for all students have been a welcome relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, these benefits will end at the end of the 2021-22 school year. When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, the federal government funded a program that allowed all students—even those who were not previously eligible—to receive free meals at school. However, recently they have declined to continue funding this program. If you're feeling a little anxious about how your child will manage without a free lunch, don't worry. We've got you covered with some specific actions you can take now to make sure your child gets the meals they need next school year. For many families, the simple task of taking the time now to budget for the cost of your child's school lunches may be all that is necessary. In the near future, updated meal pricing will be available on the District's Nutrition Department webpage. Families that do not qualify for Free or Reduced Meal Benefits should start setting aside money each month to deposit into their child's account. 2021-22 PAID MEAL PRICES Breakfast Elementary $1.90 Secondary $2.00 Adult $2.40 Lunch Elementary $2.85 Secondary $3.05 Adult $3.85 SOME FHSD STUDENTS WILL STILL QUALIFY, BUT YOU MUST TAKE ACTION If your child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, they can still receive them, but you must take action to make it happen! If you are concerned that you may not be able to afford school meal prices, we urge you to fill out an application for free or reduced meal benefits as soon as possible. You can find a copy of this application on our website or call 636-851-6197. Applications for the 2022-23 school year will be available in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal sometime in July 2022. The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only for the purpose of determining eligibility. Note: Families may apply at any time throughout the school year. Families who are already approved and receiving benefits who wish to continue receiving benefits must submit a new meal application within the first 30-days of the beginning of each school year. For more information about the application process or to complete a printed version, please view the the Free and Reduced Meals Letter. Translated versions of the letter can be found here. Printed Free and Reduced Meal applications should be returned to the Nutrition Service Office: Francis Howell Nutrition Service 4520 Central School Road Saint Charles, MO 63304 636-851-6054 This press release was produced by the Francis Howell School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.