The Free Lunch Program Poughkeepsie vs. Dutchess County

The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program which runs in public schools, nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions for more than 31 million children, as recorded in 2012 by fns.usda.gov. The program was developed to provide children with nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches each school day for those who can’t afford it. Children with family incomes at or below the 130% of the poverty level, are eligible for free meals. Children whose family’s income are between 130% and 185% of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, and those students cannot charge more than $0.40.

Below is a chart of Poughkeepsie Middle School and Poughkeepsie High School vs. Dutchess County when it comes to students who receive free or reduced lunches according to chalkandwire.com and http://www.nyskwic.org.

Jon Garland, student teacher at Poughkeepsie Middle School, explained that the kids who receive free lunches get their primary meal from the School Lunch Program. “Majority of the kids that come to school on a daily basis, come hungry and malnourished,” said Garland. Garland has been a tutor at Poughkeepsie High School for four years now, and he has created a strong bond with the Poughkeepsie school system. He explained that students in the city of Poughkeepsie are performing below school rate standards, and it might have to do with the children coming to school hungry and malnourished.

If you would like to learn more about the Free Lunch Program, visit www.fns.usda.gov/