USDA Extends Free Meals for All Kids Through 2021 School Year

US Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the extension of nationwide flexibilities that will allow free school meals for all children throughout the entire 2020-2021 school year.

The USDA had originally only extended the flexibilities of the School Lunch Program through the end of 2020, and the added extension is meant to provide a boost to school districts as well as students’ food security.

“As our nation recovers and reopens, we want to ensure that children continue to receive the nutritious breakfasts and lunches they count on during the school year wherever they are, and however they are learning,” said Secretary Perdue. “We are grateful for the heroic efforts by our school food service professionals who are consistently serving healthy meals to kids during these trying times, and we know they need maximum flexibility right now. I appreciate President Trump for his unwavering commitment to ensuring kids receive the food they need during this pandemic and for supporting USDA in continuing to provide these unprecedented flexibilities.”

In Lakewood, over 1 million meals have been distributed to thousands of families over the course of the pandemic utilizing the USDA’s flexibilities, and many are sure to be happy with the added extension.

“Extending these nationwide flexibilities to the food programs provides comfort to thousands of Lakewood students who would have otherwise worried about where their next nutritious meal would come from,” BOE Attorney Michael Inzelbuch told TLS. “We are grateful that we can continue providing all of Lakewood’s students with the meals they need.”

[File photo]

 

 

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9 COMMENTS

  1. Whoever is handling this in Lakewood, can you please teach the people in Passaic what to give out. And by the way there’s something that comes from Lakewood every week just about, we don’t need that. You could keep that.

  2. this is nice news. Can we please receive healthy food (chicken, whole wheat bread, fruits and vegetables, etc.) instead of all this junk food?

    • Yes, I was surprised if the picture above is a sample of what is being given – very unhealthy (and unhealthy food increases Covid risk, and the opposite is the opp.)

  3. Where and when can I pickup food in Lakewood, if someone can please tell me? I haven’t gone yet for the kids but I think it’s time to start. Thanks

Comments are closed.