MADISON, Ala. — Although a lot of things about education have changed during the pandemic, one big one has not.
Free and reduced price meals are still available to students who qualify, and the Free & Reduced Meal program helps fund other programs, like Title 1.
The meals have been available to students this school year, even while learning was all-virtual. Qualified students in both traditional and virtual education programs can paticipate.
Madison City Schools Superintendent Ed Nichols says that the district is seeing fewer applications for the meals, which could potentially affect other programs. Nichols explains, "We have seen a decrease in the amount of Free & Reduced Meal Applications submitted throughout the system. Our district uses the Free & Reduced percentage for a variety of programs, including Title I and grants. If you have completed a Free & Reduced Application in previous years and qualified, please complete an online application."
Click here for the application.
The pandemic presented school districts across the country with a number of challenges, including getting food to students off-campus. Buses that delivered to neighborhoods, drive-thru lines, specified food distribution times, and multi-meal or multi-day packs were a few of the ways schools coped with the challenges. Organizations like the Alabama Food Bank Association also extended their summer food programs through the end of 2020.
Local food banks in north Alabama continue to help the growing number of people in need of food assistance as the pandemic wears on, and local and regional organizations are teaming up to bring food and hot meals to their communities.
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