Free school summer lunches in Campbell County total tens of thousands since end of May

GILLETTE (WNE) – The Campbell County School District continues to feed a large number of its students through its summer meal program, with top numbers in June totaling about 2,700 pickup meals a day, said Bryan Young, director of nutrition services.
To put that number into perspective, Young said the district typically serves about 4,500 meals per day to students during the regular school year. The free meals, which include breakfast and lunch in a pre-made sack, were given out at nine locations starting May 26.
He had about 20 people working the different locations until July and now there are about eight that help pass out the lunches and put them together. Young said the meals include fruits and vegetables, milk, and things like hot or cold sandwiches — meals that are easy to heat up or simply eat cold.
The meals are provided with federal COVID-19 relief money, which was set to end in late June. But Young said he was notified a few weeks ago that the money was extended to last through the end of the summer.
Without COVID relief waivers next year, Young said the lunches will transition back to being paid for through traditional eligibility and federal reimbursements.
“We’ve always had free meals but schools normally have to qualify through area eligibility or more than half (of the students at a school) that qualify for free and reduced meals,” he said. He added that there are some schools in the district who always qualify.
In the upcoming school year, the free lunches to all students provided with federal COVID money will also come to an end, so Young expects more free and reduced applications to start coming in again.
 
This story was published on July 13.