School lunch is too costly for a growing number of families. Will a White House pledge help?
The end of universal school meals has left a growing number unable to keep up with school lunch payments, yet unable to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
This story was produced by NBC News’ Elizabeth Chuck as part of the 2022 National Fellowship at the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.
The end of universal free school meals has left a growing number of families in a financial quandary: unable to keep up with school lunch payments, yet unable to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
A flood of families have applied for a price break now that school meals cost money for the first time since the early days of the pandemic, and sky-high prices of other essentials constrict parents’ budgets. Many families are within $100 of the modest limit for qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, according to school nutrition directors.
“I’ve cried with a lot of families,” said Angie Richey, nutrition services supervisor of Roseville Area Schools in Minnesota. “I had to tell one family of six that they were $33 over.”
A dozen school nutrition directors — from districts large and small, urban and rural, wealthy and low-income — told NBC News they have had to reject applications from a mother whose insulin price rose significantly; a father who lost his job during the pandemic and has found only part-time work since; and a mother of five whose only income is disability payments because she has cancer, among others.
Rating: 5