The Impending School Lunch Disaster
2 years, 8 months ago

The Impending School Lunch Disaster

Slate  

There’s a vast, underappreciated supply chain that provides for your kids’ school lunches. Helena Bottemiller Evich, a senior food and agriculture reporter at Politico, says that school administrations are “really upset” about these lunch adjustments expiring, and everyone’s unsure of what to do next. Mary Harris: Before the pandemic, I remember hearing all these stories about school lunch debt—kids who would owe a lot of money and maybe couldn’t get lunch because their parents couldn’t pay that off. Supply chain shortages and resignations made getting food in school kids’ bellies a lot harder over the past year. Instead of the government giving school meal programs more time to get back to normal, it’s asking them to meet a lot more red tape with fewer resources in a very short amount of time.

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History of this topic

School lunch fees are taking a toll on parents, U.S. consumer watchdog finds
3 months ago

School lunch fees are taking a toll on parents, U.S. consumer watchdog finds

LA Times  

Single mother Rebecca Wood, 45, was already dealing with high medical bills in 2020 when she noticed she was being charged a $2.49 “program fee” each time she loaded money onto her daughter’s school lunch account. So I’d pay for six lunches, but only get five.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the federal policy on fee-free school lunch, …

The $100M school lunch scam: how parents are cheated EVERY time they pay for their kids' meals
3 months, 1 week ago

The $100M school lunch scam: how parents are cheated EVERY time they pay for their kids' meals

Daily Mail  

Many parents barely notice the processing fees when they use the pre-paid system to cover their children's school lunches. More schools are turning to cashless systems that parents use to pre-pay for their kid's lunches Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, says the systems often push 'excessive fees' on hard-up families As more schools turn to cashless …

US consumer watchdog finds that school lunch fees are taking a toll on parents
3 months, 1 week ago

US consumer watchdog finds that school lunch fees are taking a toll on parents

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Single mother Rebecca Wood, 45, was already dealing with high medical bills in 2020 when she noticed she was being charged a $2.49 “program fee” each time she loaded money onto her daughter’s school lunch account. So I’d pay for six lunches, but only get five.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the federal policy on …

How School Lunch Became A Symbol Of Tim Walz's Appeal To Voters
4 months ago

How School Lunch Became A Symbol Of Tim Walz's Appeal To Voters

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Making school meals free for all students in Minnesota is one of Tim Walz’s signature achievements as governor. A voter survey published Wednesday by the Democratic polling firm Blueprint found free school lunch “is the only one of Walz’s most popular accomplishments surveyed that more than 40% of voters have heard about.” And it’s a major reason …

Minnesota program to provide free school meals for all kids is costing the state more than expected
1 year ago

Minnesota program to provide free school meals for all kids is costing the state more than expected

Associated Press  

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s program to provide free school breakfasts and lunches to all students regardless of income is costing the state more than expected because of a jump in demand. Tim Walz signed the legislation last spring, advocates said the free meals would ease stresses on parents and help reduce childhood poverty while lifting the stigma on kids …

Free school lunch works — but rightwingers don’t care about outcomes
1 year, 8 months ago

Free school lunch works — but rightwingers don’t care about outcomes

Raw Story  

“If a child is on the verge of starvation, you must call CPS, not spend hundreds of millions on disproportionately unhealthy lunches, a huge percentage of which are discarded,” conservative pundit Ben Shapiro told California Congressman Ted Lieu on Twitter. There’s a great deal of evidence that free school lunches reduce student hunger and improve children’s health. School lunches have …

“Poverty is a policy choice”: Minnesota kids cheer new law guaranteeing free school lunch for all
1 year, 9 months ago

“Poverty is a policy choice”: Minnesota kids cheer new law guaranteeing free school lunch for all

Salon  

This article originally appeared at Common Dreams. But 1 in 4 food-insecure kids live in households that don't qualify for the federal free and reduced meal program, leading to "mounting school lunch debts in the tens of thousands of dollars," Minnesota Public Radioreported. "As a former teacher, I know that providing free breakfast and lunch for our students is one …

Minnesota Senate backs free school meals for all students
1 year, 9 months ago

Minnesota Senate backs free school meals for all students

Associated Press  

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Lunches and breakfasts would be free to Minnesota students regardless of income under a bill that won approval in the state Senate on Tuesday. “Being hungry makes learning almost impossible,” said Democratic Sen. Heather Gustafson, of Vadnais Heights, the lead author, who is also a teacher. “This is a bill that will ensure every student, K …

‘It’s hard to focus': Schools say American kids are hungry
1 year, 9 months ago

‘It’s hard to focus': Schools say American kids are hungry

Associated Press  

PHOENIX — America’s schools say kids are hungry — just as pandemic-era benefit programs have lapsed. School cafeterias typically don’t turn away a hungry kid, but debts for unpaid school meals have been rising — showing the level of need, and raising questions about how schools will keep feeding everyone, without federal money to do it. The neediest kids are …

Children unable to afford lunch in more than half of state schools, survey says
2 years ago

Children unable to afford lunch in more than half of state schools, survey says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It’s a scandal that in …

Next stress for many parents: First school lunch bills since 2020
2 years, 3 months ago

Next stress for many parents: First school lunch bills since 2020

CNN  

CNN — Though East Hampton is a solidly middle-class town in Connecticut, dozens of families are applying for free school meals for the first time as they contend with high food costs and tight budgets. They are also trying to make sure that those who do qualify for free or reduced-price meals submit applications, which parents haven’t had to do …

As students go back to school, many face a lunch bill for the first time in 2 years
2 years, 3 months ago

As students go back to school, many face a lunch bill for the first time in 2 years

NPR  

As students go back to school, many face a lunch bill for the first time in 2 years Enlarge this image toggle caption Lisa Rathke/AP Lisa Rathke/AP BOISE, Idaho — Lunchtime on the first day of school at Mountain View Elementary earlier this month brought the familiar bustle of students scurrying to find their assigned table in the cafeteria while …

Proposal for student cards to cover free meals fails in California Legislature
2 years, 4 months ago

Proposal for student cards to cover free meals fails in California Legislature

LA Times  

A bill that would have granted eligible California school children an EBT card to cover meals in the summer quietly failed in the state Legislature last week. A bill that would have granted electronic benefit transfer cards to low-income schoolchildren to cover meals when class is not in session quietly failed last week in the state Legislature. Food banks across …

The 'Missing Middle': How To Feed America's Neglected Kids At School
2 years, 4 months ago

The 'Missing Middle': How To Feed America's Neglected Kids At School

Huff Post  

HuffPost In this edition of Voices In Food, Vermont state Sen. Brian Campion shares how he helped guarantee that his state’s schoolchildren all have access to local, fresh foods for the 2022-23 school year through a one-year pilot project meant to extend the federal government’s COVID-relief programs. It’s an economic development bill, too.” - Vermont state Sen. Brian Campion And …

Funding for school lunches in jeopardy as GOP officials sue over anti-discrimination rule
2 years, 4 months ago

Funding for school lunches in jeopardy as GOP officials sue over anti-discrimination rule

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Republican …

Families brace for changes to pandemic-era free school meals
2 years, 5 months ago

Families brace for changes to pandemic-era free school meals

Associated Press  

ESSEX, Vt. — Before the pandemic, there was no room in the budget for Kate Murphy’s children to buy lunch at school. So the free school meals that were made available to students nationwide amid the crisis have brought welcome relief, especially since her husband lost his job last year at a bakery company that closed. The pandemic-era federal aid …

Congress approves free student meal extension through summer
2 years, 5 months ago

Congress approves free student meal extension through summer

Associated Press  

Congress passed a bill Friday that aims to keep up the expanded, pandemic-era distribution of free meals for all students this summer. “Our action today staves off a dangerous hunger cliff: ensuring universal free meals for all children throughout this summer, while helping schools keep up supply chain snags and rising costs for the upcoming school year,” House Speaker Nancy …

Biden signs the school meal waivers bill into law, but free meals are over for many
2 years, 6 months ago

Biden signs the school meal waivers bill into law, but free meals are over for many

NPR  

Biden signs the school meal waivers bill into law, but free meals are over for many Enlarge this image toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Damian Dovarganes/AP President Joe Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act on Saturday morning, extending partial school meal flexibilities through the next school year five days before they were set to expire. The House on Friday morning …

Millions of children will miss healthy school meals when pandemic relief expires
2 years, 9 months ago

Millions of children will miss healthy school meals when pandemic relief expires

NPR  

Millions of children will miss healthy school meals when pandemic relief expires Enlarge this image toggle caption Karen Ducey/Getty Images Karen Ducey/Getty Images When schools pivoted to virtual learning early in the pandemic, the National School Lunch Program was thrown into chaos. And as part of pandemic relief legislation, the federal Food and Nutrition services agency waived the requirement that …

Biden administration updates school lunch rules to help ease pandemic disruptions
2 years, 10 months ago

Biden administration updates school lunch rules to help ease pandemic disruptions

LA Times  

First-graders Kendal Kates, left, and Ryan Kenney are excited about the contents of their boxed lunches in Pittsburgh in December. The “bridge” rule announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture extends emergency flexibilities for the next two school years as schools gradually transition back to normal. “The standards we’re putting in place for the next two school years will help …

USDA pumps $750 million into school lunch program to counter inflation, supply chain woes
2 years, 11 months ago

USDA pumps $750 million into school lunch program to counter inflation, supply chain woes

CNN  

CNN — Schools are not only wrestling with how to educate children amid the surge in coronavirus cases. That’s why the US Department of Agriculture is pumping an estimated $750 million more into school meals programs nationwide as part of a midyear adjustment to the reimbursement rate. Schools will receive an additional 25 cents per lunch to counter higher food …

Marcus Rashford slams school for saying pupils in debt won’t be fed at lunch
3 years, 1 month ago

Marcus Rashford slams school for saying pupils in debt won’t be fed at lunch

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a letter to parents from Neil Foden, the strategic head of Ysgol Dyffryn …

Free school meals for all children can improve kids’ health
3 years, 4 months ago

Free school meals for all children can improve kids’ health

Salon  

Recognizing that millions of U.S. children are at risk of hunger, Maine and California have approved funding to offer free school meals to all students within their state. The Universal School Meals Program Act would provide free healthy meals and snacks to all children in public and nonprofit private schools regardless of income. When children return to schools in the …

Hungry children didn’t drive this country into the ground – they deserve so much better than the meagre food parcels offered by our government
3 years, 11 months ago

Hungry children didn’t drive this country into the ground – they deserve so much better than the meagre food parcels offered by our government

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Midday assistants on furlough or poverty …

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