New program gives most Lee County students free lunch
Many kids and parents take for granted the ability to eat breakfast and/or lunch at school.
There are also many, especially in Lee County, who consider the ability to eat at school a blessing. For some it’s the only meals they get all day.
Thankfully, starting this year, the federal government will be paying for lunch for more than 50,000 Lee County students, regardless of family income because of the new way the federal government is funding the program.
Schools considered economically needy (77 out of the 84 in Lee County) will offer free lunches thanks to a new program started by the government. Breakfast, which has always been free, will remain so.
“For the first time, parents won’t have to worry about having lunch money. When the kids get to school, they know their kids will be able to get two free meals,” said Amity Chandler, communications director at Lee County Public Schools. “Not all refrigerators are full at home, so they kids will get a nutritious lunch at school.”
After starting in 2012 as a pilot program in four states, other states, Florida included, came aboard the following year, with the rest of the country following in 2014.
According to Sonny Stelmacki, Food & Nutrition Services Director, Lee County stayed out the first two years because the county didn’t have enough directly certified students who already qualified for some other federal nutrition assistance programs for them to make expenses.
In return for using the program, the county forgoes the cash sales from paid students and only gets a reimbursement at the direct certification rate.
“Our rate was not high enough for us to absorb not getting those cash sales,” Stelmacki said. “Everyone would be fed for free, but our department would not have generated enough income to pay our expenses.”
Previously, 72 percent of students in Lee County were on some kind of free or reduced lunch program.
The meals will be the same as before and those who attend the qualifying schools need do nothing to get them.
For those students who have a balance in their pre-pay account, they can buy items not on the standard menu such as snacks and special drinks or request a refund.
Request can be sent to Terri Thomas at TerriLT@leeschools.net
Stelmacki said one of the biggest benefits to the program is that it puts students on a level playing field, especially at the secondary level.
“The kids may qualify for a free meal but don’t get in line because there’s a stigma attached to free lunch,” Stekmacki said. “Now, there’s no determination. If everyone else gets it, why don’t I?”
The district also doesn’t have to deal with as many applications, streamlining the process significantly.
Students can still get an application for free and reduced lunch online or at the school your child is attending and is available in English and Spanish. Online, go to mealapplication.lee-schools.net/.
An online application will expedite the process, as will using blue or black ink only, printing clearly in the red squares, and using your child’s name as it appears on the birth certificate.