Senate Agriculture Chair and bill sponsor Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., told NPR that there would have never been 10 Republican members in support of extending all the free meals. The eventual compromise to return to pre-pandemic meal categories was necessary to make sure schools received other necessary assistance.
“We aren’t completely back to normal as it relates to the pandemic,” Stabenow said, noting that school are still facing high food costs and supply chain disruptions. “Up to one-third of the schools may not have been able to provide school meals at all without [any waivers].”
What’s being waived?
Before the pandemic, federal laws required schools meet specific nutrition requirements that governed what they could and could not serve students. They had to serve their meals in “congregate” settings, like a cafeteria or a park. Families had to meet income requirements to receive free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. And in the summer, only areas that had 50% of kids qualifying for free or reduced-priced meals can operate a summer meal program.
Those rules went out the window during the pandemic.
“[Waivers] really provided a lifeline, because in a lot of rural and suburban communities, poverty is so widely dispersed over large geographies,” said Jillien Meier, director of partnerships and campaign strategies at No Kid Hungry. “So even if 49% of your kids in your community qualifies for free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program, you can’t operate an open summer meal site.”
The school meal waivers allowed for students to grab lunches to-go and or be delivered via school buses.
Source: Senate sends school meal waiver bill back to House with some changes : NPR
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