The U.S. Department of Agriculture has provided emergency funding that will feed Gilmer County students attending in-person instruction.
The department’s Aug. 31 press release stated, “The USDA will extend several flexibilities through as late as Dec. 31, 2020. The flexibilities allow summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children into the fall months. This unprecedented move will help ensure — no matter what the situation is on-the-ground — children have access to nutritious food as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Free breakfasts and lunches were available to all Gilmer students attending face-to-face instruction Tuesday, Sept. 8 when they returned after the Labor Day holiday.
Those students who paid for a school lunch from Sept. 1-4 will be issued credit to their account.
“I’m so happy this will help out some families in need,” superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs said Tuesday.
“Many families have been hit hard by reduced work and reduced income due to the COVID crisis. So I’m really excited that this could help those families.”
Regular meal prices will resume in January 2021 when students return from Christmas break. The Gilmer County School System strongly encourages eligible families to apply for free and reduced meals as soon as possible.
Applications are currently lagging, which will impact federal funding.
“One of my biggest concerns is this is the time of year families fill out free and reduced lunch forms if they qualify,” Downs said.
“We still have over 400 students who qualified for free and reduced lunch last year who have not filled out their forms. That means, as soon as January hits, they will start getting charged again.
“Also, our Title I funding is based on free and reduced lunch. So if people do not fill out those free and reduced lunch forms, our funding could be cut significantly. I’m very concerned this (free meals through the end of the calendar year) could make people lose the urgency to fill those forms out, and we desperately need them to go ahead and fill out those forms.”
Regular lunch prices in January for elementary and middle school students will be $2.15. High school lunches are $2.30, and reduced price lunches are $.40 for all grade levels.