Many WA schools no longer give students free meals. Here are resources for families to save
All students in Washington state could be getting free lunch next school year, according to a press release from The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s proposal would provide the 1.1 million students in Washington with free meals as part of their basic education.
But what about families who need assistance during the 2022-2023 school year? 330,000 students and families in Washington will be required to pay for meals this school year, according to the OSPI. During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, all students were given meals free of charge through waivers from the federal government.
As grocery prices have risen 10.9% from July 2021 to July 2022, some families are also struggling to afford meals for their students and families.
Resources for free school meals
The National School Breakfast and Lunch Program for Washington provides meals for students in public, private and residential child care.
In order to be eligible for the program, a parent or primary caregiver for a student must have an annual household income that is below a certain amount, depending on your household size.
A household of one must make under $25,142 annually to be eligible for free meals. A household of two much makes under $33,874.
You can apply for free or reduced meals online through the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service website.
The USDA also recommends reaching out to the USDA National Hunger Hotline for resources or food assistance. The hotline can be reached by calling 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE for Spanish, or by texting 914-342-7744.
This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Many WA schools no longer give students free meals. Here are resources for families to save."
