More Children Eligible for Free Breakfasts
A new state law will make about 300 more Portland children eligible to receive free breakfasts at their local public schools this year.
Any child who qualifies for free or reduced lunch, based on family income, now will receive a free breakfast as well. The state will reimburse the Portland Public Schools for the breakfast meal price (30 cents per child).
“This new law means more children will receive the most important meal of the day,” said Ron Adams, the Portland Public Schools’ food services director. “That will pay dividends in the classroom, as they arrive ready to learn.”
Adams encouraged families to fill out the free and reduced lunch application form that all children will receive on the first day of school. More families may qualify under U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines because of the economic downturn, he said.
The district’s funding from federal programs such as Title I are tied to the number of students eligible for free and reduced lunch. Last year, about 47 percent of the district’s students qualified.
For more information about the free and reduced lunch program, please contact the Portland Public Schools’ Food Services Department at 874-8231 or email foodservices@portlandschools.org.
