To: Riverside Families
From: Superintendent Kaczor
Subject: USDA extends free meals for kids through conclusion of school year
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will extend several flexibilities through the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. The flexibilities allow summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children though the entire school year. This unprecedented move will help ensure – no matter what the situation is on-the-ground – children have access to nutritious food as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. USDA has been and continues to be committed to using the Congressionally appropriated funding that has been made available.
So what does this mean for Riverside Public School? Starting September 15th, 2020, we started offering FREE meals (both breakfast and lunch) to all Riverside school-age children with this grant and now it will continue through the entire school year. There is no paperwork required, ALL Riverside school-age children automatically qualify. Your free meals will continue through May 21. However, if your child takes seconds or an extra milk, this WILL be billed to the respective child and will appear on your lunch statement. Please note, if you have a negative balance in your lunch account, your child/children will not be able to receive seconds or any extras until payments are made.
This announcement brings a huge relief to our school meal program and the communities we serve. Many of our families are still going through a tough time and are worried about how to keep food on the table. This helps our families worry about one less thing as they adjust to the evolving changes this pandemic has created.