Schools offer struggling families options to keep hungry kids fed

Wellsville superintendent Denise O’Dea knows families in her school district are struggling.

She knows parents are losing their jobs.

She knows the cost of living is continuing to increase.

And she knows it’s not going to get better any time soon.

Fortunately for O’Dea, a government-funded lunch program can help combat these problems.

“A family can now make more money, but still qualify for free and reduced priced lunches,” O’Dea said.

An increase

It dates to the 1930s, when school lunch programs started receiving federal loans and surpluses.

 Since its creation, the act has undergone many changes and revisions but continues to help provide affordable, or free, lunches for struggling families.

What’s different now, O’Dea said, is the number of families who are helped through the program, which, in the Wellsville School District, has increased by more than 50 students this year.

“The numbers are pretty obvious that we have more on free and reduced lunch this school year,” O’Dea said.

‘Tough for everybody’

Ottawa Superintendent Dean Katt said the number of students seeking free lunch this school year is up 35 from last year. In addition, Katt said the number of students who receive reduced lunch also has increased.

“I think definitely the economy plays a big role in what we’re seeing with the number of students that are on free and reduced lunches,” Katt said. “It’s getting tough for everybody.”

Things aren’t much different in the Central Heights School District, superintendent Jim Reece said.

The number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches at Central Heights is up more than 50 students from last year, he said.

Funding

In the West Franklin School District — as well as other area school districts — students who are on free and reduced lunches receive other deductions, including book and technology fees.

“In addition to school districts receiving federal funds to pay most of the cost of the meal, school districts also receive additional weighting for every student who qualified for free meals,” he said. “Those funds are called at-risk funds.”

Bradbury said if a school district has more than 40 percent of its students qualifying for free lunches, an additional weighting happens.

“For students who qualify for reduced-priced lunches, they receive a reduced price on breakfast and lunch meals,” he said. “There is no additional weighting for students on reduced meals.”

Other options

Some families need more help, more support. O’Dea said that’s why the Wellsville School District offers additional options for families in need.

“We have a Family Services coordinator who works with our families who are struggling to provide any needed services — gas money to get to a job interview, payment for medicine or a doctor visit, payment of a utility,” she said.

These families are referred to the coordinator through building offices, O’Dea said.

In addition, O’Dea said she expects the number of families seeking additional help will continue to increase — even in the winter months.

“At Christmas time, we have various student groups who adopt several of our local families to supply them with food and holiday gifts,” she said.