Students At 87 Baltimore County Public Schools Will Get Free Meals This School Year, Officials Say
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- All students at 87 public schools in Baltimore County will be able to get free meals this school year, county school officials said Monday.
Meal delivery will begin on September 8 when classes resume, officials said.
The extension is thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture approving the school system's application for a program that allows schools in high poverty areas to serve free breakfasts and lunches to all students without students needing to apply.
Further details are set to be released in the coming days.
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The USDA also announced on Monday it will extend its free meal program and waive some restrictions through as late as December 31.
"As our nation reopens and people return to work, it remains critical our children continue to receive safe, healthy, and nutritious food. During the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA has provided an unprecedented amount of flexibilities to help schools feed kids through the school meal programs, and today, we are also extending summer meal program flexibilities for as long as we can, legally and financially," USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a news release. "We appreciate the incredible efforts by our school foodservice professionals year in and year out, but this year we have an unprecedented situation. This extension of summer program authority will employ summer program sponsors to ensure meals are reaching all children – whether they are learning in the classroom or virtually – so they are fed and ready to learn, even in new and ever-changing learning environments."
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