VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The height of the pandemic brought on many changes for schools, one, in particular, was providing meals for students free of charge through food waivers that are set to expire.
To help out students and parents, the Virginia General Assembly approved more than $8 million from the state budget. Those funds will be used over the next two years for schools to provide free breakfast and lunch. Because these funds won't benefit everyone, local school districts in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake are working with parents so that their kids don't miss a meal.
According to the non-profit known as No Kid Hungry in Virginia, one in eight kids will face hunger annually. Prior to the pandemic, meals in schools were either free, priced reduced, or full price.
But then during the height of the pandemic, all meals were free through food waivers.
Since that's changed, schools like Landstown High School say they’ve had to go back to traditional operations, through the national school lunch program.
This means that if a student is not signed up to receive free or reduced lunch, they have to pay.
According to Viorica Harrison, the Director of the Office of Food Services, buying lunch is a luxury many families don't have.
"What we have done is advocate on behalf of the households to VDOE and we were able to apply and receive twenty-seven approved schools as part of our community eligibility program where all the kids at those schools regardless of their parents eligibility they will eat for free," says Harrison.
In Chesapeake, the school district is also working to keep hunger pangs at bay when kids can't pay, especially because the hike in food prices may be preventing some families from filling the fridge.
"It's a challenge food cost is going up across the board in every segment and K-12 is certainly feeling the brunt of it. What we are doing is that we are searching the market for the best prices and the best products and we have a competitive build process as well and we are trying to make sure the students get product that they enjoy and like," says Larry Wade Jr, the Director of School Nutrition Services.
For families who think they might be eligible for free meals, click here.
