Free meals provided for all AISD students

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany ISD announced last week that students in all grade levels will be provided free meals for the 2021-2022 school year after being included in a COVID-19 recovery grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

However, parents are being asked to fill out applications in the next few weeks in order to begin next year with free or reduced meals.

Free This Year

Usually, parents must apply for free and reduced meals, which are based primarily on family income levels, but for 2021-2022, all students will be able to eat both breakfast and lunch free of charge thanks to the grant program through the USDA, which will continue through June 30, 2022.

“This grant was an excellent opportunity to provide a little extra for our students and families,” said superintendent Jonathan Scott. “Participation is optional for students, but we hope to serve every student who chooses to eat meals at school.”

The board set new prices in July prior to receiving approval for the grant at $2.05 for breakfast at elementary and $2.65 for lunch, while secondary prices were set at $2.05 and $2.75 respectively.

Now students will eat without charge throughout the new school year.

Staff and visitor prices, which are still in force, were set at $3 for breakfast and $4.75 for lunch at both campuses.

Applications Needed 

for Next Year

Parents who traditionally apply for free or reduced meals as per guidelines set by the USDA will still need to file an application for next year.

“Since the USDA’s budget year goes through Sept. 30, anyone wanting free or reduced meals at the beginning of the 2022-23 school still needs to fill out an application this year,” said district administrative assistant Lynsi Musselman. “The application that normally would have been filled out for this year carries over to the end of September next year. So anyone wanting those services to begin next year must fill out an application soon.”

Musselman said that applications will be sent home with students after classes start and will also be available in the district office and on the school’s website.

“We hope to have the applications back by Oct. 1 this year,” she said. “It is important not to forget to apply since it affects the start of next school year.”

Anyone who fails to apply this year will have to wait until the program renews on Oct. 1, 2022.

“People used to receiving free or reduced lunches would have to pay for the first few weeks of next year before the funding kicks in,” she said.

Besides income levels, there are several qualifying factors such as participation in other government programs such as SNAP, enrollment in Head Start or students in foster care, homeless, migrant or displaced by a disaster.

For more information contact Musselman in the superintendent’s office at 325-762-2823.