Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald file photo
Anne Orton prepares lunch for the kids at Timpanogos Elementary on Tuesday, June 27, 2017.
On June 25, President Joe Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022, a pandemic-era program that will now be extended throughout the summer and fall.
This bill was passed by Congress just days before waivers, which were put in place during the pandemic, were set to expire on June 30. The Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 extends waivers for schools struggling to meet nutrition standards due to supply chain issues and allows schools to continue to serve meals this summer at no cost to families.
Additionally, this bill temporarily increases federal reimbursements for every school lunch by 40 cents and school breakfast by 15 cents and equips family daycare homes with a higher temporary reimbursement rate for the 2022-2023 school year.
“It’s great to see this bipartisan, bicameral bill that provides temporary, targeted relief come together and become law in a timely manner. Parents can feel confident that their children will continue to have access to healthful, nutritious meals this upcoming school year and in the summer months.” U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-AR, said in a statement. “School administrators will continue to get relief from rising food prices and supply chain issues. And it is all done in a manner that avoids putting an additional burden on taxpayers.”
Each school district in Utah County is offering free breakfast and lunch to children up to age 18 throughout the summer with no registration required.
The Nebo School District Free Summer Meals program is offered in partnership with the Utah Food Bank and provides free meals to children. The meals are handed out ever Monday through Friday until Aug. 12 at designated locations in Spanish Fork, Springville, Payson and Santaquin. Children must eat their meals on-site. For pick-up locations and times, people can visit https://nebo.edu/news/3938.
The Provo City School District Summer Child Nutrition Program is a part of the Summer Meals Program sponsored by the USDA, and provides breakfast and lunch to children. Meals are given out Monday through Thursday at schools across the district until July 21. Children must eat their meals in the cafeteria. For a list of meal pick-up locations and times, people can visit https://provo.edu/news/child-nutrition-program-2022-summer-meals/.
The Alpine School District 2022 Summer Meals Program provides two free meals to children, Monday through Friday, at schools across the district until Aug. 5. More information on this program is available at https://alpineschools.org/nutrition/.
However, things are set to change nationwide in the fall. While the initial Keep Kids Fed Act provided free meals to students regardless of their income level, the 2022 act has reinstated a previously-suspended requirement that low-income students above the poverty line must pay a reduced fee for their meals, rather than eating for free, during the 2022-2023 school year.
The state of Utah is required to directly certify students for free meals if their household receives SNAP benefits. Parents who are unsure if their students will qualify for free or reduced lunches during the 2022-2023 school year can fill out an application through their local school district.
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