Many area schools now offering free breakfast and lunch through December 31st

The meals are part of a USDA program.

A having a having a full stomach is important for learning.

Now..many schools are receiving a big boost to make that happen.

Students will be able to have free breakfasts and lunches.

News 10 bureau chief gary brian tells us how some schools are handling the program.

Gar} "nearly every school in knox, daviess, and martin counties has announced that they will be providing free breakfast and lunch to their students.

For many this includes remote learners."

During the pandemic schools have been finding ways to make sure students get fed.

Now many schools in the valley are getting help from the usda.

"the usda determined they were going to use the sso, or seamless summer program, seamless summer option to serve our kids breakfast and lunch at all of our schools for free."

Among those providing the program are washington, shoals, and north daviess.

Tim stoner is the food manager for north knox, loogootee, and north daviess.

All of his schools will be providing free meals until december 31st.

"we're using a google document, it's a survey that goes by e-mail out to our famalies and they fill it out.

So they put their name, first name, last name of the students.

Is it middle school, high school, or elementary?

And then they can check box for monday through friday in terms of which days they want to pick up those meals."

The survey makes sure the schools get enough food to feed enough kids.

That information is given to the state that then pays for the meals.

"we use a plan menu for all the meals that we serve and obviously we know how much money it costs to serve that meal.

We have to assume that the state knows how many meals we're going to serve."

The program also covers students who are remote learning.

Making sure all students have a chance to have a good school day.

Gar} "the vincennes community school corporation is currently working to be included in the program.

Working from home in vincennes, gary brian news 10."

Vigo county news 10."

Vigo county schools are also schools are vigo