Lansing school district to offer free meals for students

Students at Lansing schools will soon be eligible for free meals on campus, Lansing Central School District (LCSD) Superintendent Chris Pettograsso announced last week.

The free fare will be available through the end of the school year, starting Nov. 1, Pettograsso said. The district was able to gain access to free meals through its participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program. CEP is a federal program that allows low-income areas to serve free meals to all students, regardless of their family’s income, without having to collect personal income information.

“We are excited to be able to offer free meals to all of our students this year,” Pettograsso said in a press release, adding that there are several benefits to improving student nutrition.

Some of these benefits, she said, include academic performance and overall health. For families, access to two free meals a day for their children eases up food costs and stress.

“We know that food insecurity is a real problem in our community, and we want to make sure that all students have access to the food they need to succeed in school,” the superintendent added.

The district’s press release noted the following benefits of the program:

• Improved nutrition: Students who eat free meals at school are more likely to eat a variety of nutritious foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. This is because school meals are required to meet certain nutrition standards.
  
• Improved academic performance: Students who are well nourished are more likely to be able to focus and learn in school. Studies have shown that free meals can lead to improved test scores and attendance rates.
  
• Reduced food insecurity: Food insecurity is a serious problem for many families, and it can have a negative impact on children’s health and well-being. Free meals can help to reduce food insecurity and ensure that all students have access to the food they need.
  
• Reduced financial burden on families: The cost of school meals can be a significant financial burden for some families. Free meals can help to reduce this burden and make it easier for families to afford to send their children to school.
  
• Improved social-emotional well-being: Free meals can help to create a more welcoming and inclusive school environment for all students. When all students have access to free meals, there is no stigma associated with receiving financial assistance. This can help to improve students’ social-emotional well-being and reduce stress. 

LCSD will front the cost of the free meal plan but will be reimbursed by New York state through CEP. State officials included about $134 million in funding for free school meals, after a similar program, federally mandated due to the COVID-19 epidemic, fizzled out in June, 2022. Around 700,000 students in the state lost access to free breakfast and lunch when the federal government declined to fund the program last summer.

Schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website. 

“We are grateful to the USDA for making CEP available to our schools,” LCSD Assistant

Superintendent of Business Kathryn Heath said in a statement. “This program is making a real difference in the lives of our students and families.”

Families can access the November menus for schools in LCSD here:

• November menu for R.C. Buckley Elementary School: https://www.lansingschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=319&dataid=1312&FileName=2023%20November%20Menu%20Elementary%20.pdf
• November menu for Lansing Middle School: https://www.lansingschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=319&dataid=1313&FileName=2023%20November%20Menu%20Middle.pdf
• November menu for Lansing High School: https://www.lansingschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=319&dataid=1314&FileName=2023%20November%20Menu%20High%20School%20.pdf
  

Lansing at Large appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com. Contact Eddie Velazquez at edvel37@gmail.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @ezvelazquez.

In brief:

The 15th annual Lansing Artisan Fair is set to return to the town in December. The event will take place at the Lansing Community Library and Town Hall Dec. 1-2. The artisan fair will provide attendees with a fantastic opportunity to kick-start their holiday shopping, as well as discover unique handcrafted items.

The event is also a great opportunity to support local artisans and businesses.

Additional information can be found at the Lansing Artisan Fair Facebook page. A post on the library’s website notes that the organizers will post information on artists who will be at the fair, as well as pictures of their handmade crafts and creations.

Parties interested in participating as a vendor can email friendsoflcl@lansinglibrary.org.