Initiative aims at paying school lunch bills

Phoenixville Area School District has announced a new initiative that will allow interested individuals to help the district’s neediest families by contributing to a fund to pay off outstanding school lunch balances.

With support from multiple individuals and organizations, this is an opportunity for anyone in the community to assist with a tax deductible donation in any amount. The Phoenixville Community Education Foundation has established a special account for this program, which can be accessed at their website: www.pcefonline.com/donate

The cafeteria meals are prepared fresh daily from locally sourced ingredients whenever available and in season.

Currently, about 27 percent of Phoenixville’s school population, about 1100 students, qualify for the federal free-and-reduced-lunch program.

Families must reapply each year, and many may not even realize they qualify for the program.

Other families who may fall on hard times later in the school year, and be in need of immediate assistance.

Over the course of a school year, many of the student’s food accounts may become overdrawn. When that happens, an automatic phone call goes home to the parents to let them know the account is in arrears.

At no time is the student questioned on the status of the account, and no child goes without a lunch, regardless of their ability to pay.

Each year the district accrues approximately $3,500 in unpaid breakfast and lunch bills.

The program has already received seed money from a generous donor in the amount of $500. Phoenixville School Board President Lisa Longo and Phoenixville Borough Council member Jeremy Dalton have committed to working to ensure this effort is completely funded.

Visit www.pcefonline. com/sla to make a donation.