LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — A new school year is starting with a big change to free and reduced meals since the pandemic started.
Free school meal waivers from the federal government put in placed early in the COVID-19 pandemic expired June 30.
Lori Danella, director of nutrition services for Lee's Summit R-7 School, said district families took advantage of the resource.
“When we were feeding all of the students free, we we’re probably over 80% of our students of our student body," Danella said.
She explained before the pandemic, around 20% of district students relied on free or reduced meals — a need that grew once the pandemic started.
“So many people think Lee’s Summit doesn’t have a need, you’d be surprised," Danella said. “Both mother and father had high incomes. COVID hit and they don’t have their jobs anymore. They still have their car payments, they still have their house payments and if they get another job, it may not be what it was before, so this is an avenue to try and help them out.”
Now that the federal waivers have expired, more families are expected to apply for help than before.
"I have a feeling that our free and reduced lunch rates are going to be higher this year because of COVID and families still not going back to work, or struggling with gas prices and food prices," Danella said.
KSHB 41 checked in with other Kansas City area school districts.
A spokesperson with Hickman-Mills C-1 School District said no changes are impacting the district.
According to the director of nutritional services with Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, 18,018 students qualify for free meals, 1,029 qualify for reduced meals and 2,376 students pay for meals.
Wendell Johnson can sympathize with families in need of free or reduced lunch.
He's a foster parent of two children who qualify for free and reduced meals because of their status. He said changes would be needed in his household if the resource wasn't available.
“There’s not as many toys, not as much fun stuff we get to do. It’s all just food, water and shelter," Johnson said.
Parents in KCKPS parents can apply for free and reduced lunch on the district's website.
Meanwhile, Lee's Summit R-7 parents can apply for free and reduced meals on the district's website or visit the nutrition services office at 702 SE 291 Highway in Lee's Summit, Missouri.
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