A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program implemented earlier this year under Secretary Sonny Perdue has ensured that all students in Muskingum County receive free breakfast and lunch during the school day.

The program guarantees that regardless of a student’s or district’s chosen method of instruction, they will receive a nutritious meal, twice a day, throughout the school week.

Perdue had announced near the end of August his department’s initiative to provide free meals through the end of 2020, but just recently added that with available funding, the program will likely be continued through the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

“As our nation reopens and people return to work, it remains critical our children continue to receive safe, healthy and nutritious food,” said Perdue who emphasized the need that students have access to food as childhood hunger rates have increased due to the current economic situation.

Since the pandemic began, Perdue has helped implement numerous programs, designed and funded by Congress, that work to combat both supply chain issues and food insecurity.

One program, the USDA Farmers to Families Food Boxes, have gathered resources directly from the source of production to circumvent broken links in the supply chain while also providing balanced nutritious meals to seniors and families.

Zanesville City Schools, who have implemented a hybrid learning model, which only have students physically in the classroom twice a week, as well as allowing students the option for remote only instruction, has worked to provide students with take-home meals through the USDA program.

Vicki Wheeler, Supervisor of Food Services for the district, said that students on the hybrid model take home six meals at the end of their second day of in-person instruction, three breakfast meals and three lunch meals, for the following remote learning days when they are away from the classroom.

Students who receive fully remote instruction are provided with meals every Friday for the entire following week, which consists of five breakfast meals and five lunch meals.

Wheeler said the program has helped the district by providing the financial resources to purchase the extra food and it has helped the students by guaranteeing they have something to eat even when away from the school building.

East Muskingum Local Schools, while offering students the option for remote learning, has continued to operate five days per week for in-person instruction.

Food Services Director, Anne Troendly, said that the district has worked diligently to organize food distribution for remote learners, as well as providing breakfast and lunch to all students attending school in person.

“This program ensures that all the students will be able to start their day with a fresh nutritious meal,” said Troendly.

She continued by explaining that teachers often hear stories of students who had a cookie or other less-than-nutritious snack for breakfast and that this program places a meal in front of every child that has a mixture of grain, meat or a meat alternative, milk, fruits and vegetables.

The combination of both warm and cold breakfast, Troendly explained, provides students with the nutrients students need to thrive in an educational setting.

Troendly says she still encourages parents to file a free or reduced lunch application if they believe they are eligible, as it not only helps the district with Title 1 funding but can get school assessed fees waived for the child, a recommendation echoed by other school administrators across the county.

West Muskingum Local School’s Superintendent Chad Shawger said the program has also been great for his district’s students and families.

“Many of those students don’t qualify for the typical free or reduced lunch programs,” said Shawger. “Due to the consequences of the shutdown, their families might have diminished resources.”

Shawger says the federal program has increased participation in the school cafeterias, an indicator he believes shows an increased need many families have at the present time.

Currently, all six Muskingum County schools have chosen to utilize available federal funds and expand meal programs at their districts.

Parents of students, especially of those who receive fully remote instruction, are encouraged to communicate with their respective school district, if they haven’t already, to inquire about how to receive free meals for their students.