During the school closure period, the district was able to provide more than 83,000 meals to Herkimer CSD students and their families (close to 62,000 meals between March and June, and another 21,744 in July and August) at no charge through the federal Summer Food Service Program. This federally funded program ensured that students can continue to receive nutritious meals when school was not in session.
We are so grateful to our food service program for feeding so many students and families all summer long. The good news is, we are still providing healthy, balanced meals for students every school day, whether they are in the building or not.
We know some families may think these meals “aren’t for you.” So we wanted to share a few reasons why we would be so happy to have your child order breakfast or lunch from their school:
Save time and money
In September, all our students can eat breakfast and lunch free. You don’t have to apply for this benefit, and there are no income guidelines — these meals are free to any student who orders a meal. This can help save your family money on food. It can also save your family time if you are spending less time packing lunches or shopping for groceries.
Support your school
When your child orders a meal, they aren’t taking anything away from anyone else — in fact, it’s quite the opposite. The school district gets reimbursed for every meal it serves. More meals served means more funding for the school’s food service program. This “use it or lose it” funding comes from the United States Department of Agriculture — the school does not receive this funding unless it is serving meals to students.
Put food to good use
The district food service program does its best to accurately estimate how much food is needed, and every effort is made to ensure no food is wasted. Help your school’s food service program by ordering a meal and making sure that food goes to good use!
It’s there when you need it
School meals are there for everyone, for any reason. Some students look forward to certain items on our menu, while other families enjoy the convenience of not having to pack a lunch each day. Your child can order a meal whenever they choose, whether that’s every day or only occasionally.