Lunches stay free for all students in upcoming school yearDate: 8/18/2022 WESTFIELD – Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law earlier this month a bill that extends free breakfast and free lunch options for all Massachusetts public school students for the 2022-23 school year.
“For a lot of these kids, it’s their only healthy, complete meal that they get.
It’s too important to be able to learn and be healthy and happy,” said Westfield schools Food Services Director Rachel Kania.
Kania said it makes a difference for her program, too. “For us, it means that we will be able to combat the rising food costs. It will make things much easier on us; not only free breakfasts and lunches, but they have upped the reimbursement rate for each child and the funds that are returned to us,” she said.
Both Kania and her counterpart in Southwick are asking families that meet the income guidelines to continue to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s free or reduced-price lunch program, however.
Finance and Operations Director Stephen Presnal said that before the coronavirus pandemic, between 30 percent and 35 percent of Southwick-Granville-Tolland Regional School District students used the USDA’s lunch program in a given year.
He said this year will take on a “hybrid model” of sorts, in which students who normally would have qualified for the USDA’s program will receive their meals under the federal program, while the remaining students’ meals will be reimbursed by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In a letter to the district community after the passage of the bill, Presnal also urged parents to fill out applications for free and reduced-price meals for the coming school year, due to the grant opportunities they offer the school.
Kania made a similar appeal, saying it will still be important for families to fill out the applications for free and reduced-cost lunch that they will receive in their child’s paperwork on the first day of school.
“When families fill out the free and reduced applications, it not only sets them up to have the free lunch, but sets the district up for possibilities for grants and funding for programs, and lets the state know our true demographics,” Kania said. “Still do it; it’s important for the district. It’s one of the ways the state tracks our demographics with our income, and opens us up to grant funding for different programs.”
Presnal said that the number of students getting their lunch from the school increased noticeably once it became universally free, when students first returned to in-person learning. Also increasing was the number of students who would get breakfast from the school before classes begin in the morning.
“Previously it wasn’t something students took advantage of, largely,” said Presnal. “But recently we have had more success getting it into students’ hands.”
Kania cautioned that given the economic climate, food service programs in schools are going to have to get creative this year and accept that there will be a lot of food shortages and quick changes throughout the year.
Westfield Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski joined in the celebration of the news that meals would be free for all students in the coming year.
“I have been advocating for this with local elected officials since the federal government announced an end to the free lunch program,” he said. “This is great news for our students and families, particularly at a time when food insecurity is on the rise. Ultimately, I would like to see this extended permanently.”
Westfield EATS has been providing breakfast and lunches to city students through the summer.
“We’re doing great for the summer,” Kania said. “Just in the month of July, did 18,000 meals for the kids in Westfield. We’re super excited that families are participating and enjoying it.”
Asked if the rising food prices have been hard on them this summer, she said it wasn’t too bad.
“The state has provided us with free produce, which has been an extremely big help, and commodity items from the USDA,” Kania said, adding that they have heard from families that it’s been a big help with food costs and food bills.
The Westfield EATS Grab & Go summer meal program continues through Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Westfield Middle School, 30 W. Silver St.; at Franklin Avenue Elementary School, 22 Franklin Ave.; and at Westfield Technical Academy, 33 Smith Ave., all in Westfield. No IDs are required and children do not have to be present for the meal pickup, which is stationed outdoors.
“I am extremely excited for our families in Westfield, and hopeful for the future that free lunches in schools will be something that stays,” Kania said.
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