FREE SCHOOL MEALS AVAILABLE ALL YEAR

Schools across Pennsylvania will be able to provide kids with free meals for the rest of the school year, state officials announced Monday.

Schools across the state, including those in Chester County, set up free grab- andgo meals programs when the rapidly growing COVID- 19 pandemic led to a statewide school shutdown in mid- March. They were able to do so because the U. S. Department of Agriculture loosened rules for its free and reduced meal program.

The meals continued as the shutdown was extended to the end of the school year, and were also provided over the summer.

In September, the loosening of restrictions was extended to the end of the year so that schools could continue providing free meals to students as the new school year began this fall. Schools have been able to provide free in- person meals for students returning to school buildings or grab- and- gomeals for those learning virtually.

State officials said Monday that the USDA has further extended the flexibility, meaning schools can keep handing out free meals to all students for the entire 2020- 21 school year.

“I am so glad that the USDA has taken this important step in guaranteeing that no child has to wonder where they might find their next meal,” First Lady Frances Wolf, who joined 17 other first partners and spouses in advocating for the extension, said. “This forwardthinking provides muchneeded certainty to families, school nutrition professionals, agricultural entities and community partners working to ensure that all children have access to nutritious meals as we continue to navigate a global health crisis and its subsequent economic effects. This is one piece of the puzzle for ensuring food security, and we look forward to continuing to work with USDA on the implementation of this and related efforts.”

The USDA’s rules loosening led tomore than 25 million meals being provided to students between March and August. Providing away to access healthy breakfasts and lunches was an important step toward caring for kids during the pandemic, said state Agriculture Secretary Russel Redding.

“Throughout the COVID19 mitigation response, these waivers have worked well for schools navigating many changes,” he said. “Whether students are learning from home, at the school or a mix of both, these flexibilities will keep kids fed. Hungry kids can’t learn. Because of programs like this, no Pennsylvania student should go hungry.”

State officials said that more than 2 million Pennsylvanians, including nearly 630,000 children, have faced food insecurity this year. That is an increase of more than 45% in the general food insecurity rate and of nearly 58% in the child food insecurity rate from 2018.

Wolf was among the first spouses and partners to sign letters sent to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and congressional leadership in September. It was also signed by the the first spouses and partners of California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, NewJersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The letters stressed the financial difficulties the pandemic has ushered in for people across the U. S. and the risk that those difficulties could lead to families going hungry.

“Beyond the health and safety concerns that have come with a global pandemic, we have seen economic hardship abound as millions of people, many of whom are parents and guardians, have lost their jobs or experienced a decrease in employment,” the letters each read. “This has made our school meals more important than ever.”

The letters said that taking action to extend the flexibility the USDA has been providing would go a long way towards helping mitigate that risk.

“Our children are our greatest resource, and there is no more necessary action than safeguarding their access to life- sustainingmeals,” they read. “The continuation of these waivers will help alleviate confusion for families, eliminate excessive administrative burdens placed on staff, and, ultimately, ensure that all children have enough to eat.”

BEN HASTY— READING EAGLE Joan Sandritter, a cafeteria worker for the Muhlenberg Township School District, gets grab- and- go breakfasts and lunches from a rack to distribute them to families who drive up Sept. 10. The program has been going on since the start of the COVID- 19pandemic and is continuing this school year as all education in the district is being done virtually.

READING EAGLE FILE Antietam School District, like other districts across the state, will continue providing meals to students during the coronavirus pandemic.

READING EAGLE FILE Children pick up lunches and educational packets at the West Reading Elementary Center. TheWyomissing School District handed outmeals during themandated shutdown.