CHAPEL HILL, Texas — The United States Department of Agriculture is ending its pandemic-era free lunch programs for kids K-12.
At some districts, such as Bullard and Lindale ISDs, students will have to pay for their breakfast and lunches unless they qualify for free or reduced-meals.
But at Chapel Hill ISD, all students will continue to receive their meals without charge.
The district said it will offer free breakfast and lunch to all students this school year even after the USDA ended federal funding that began during the pandemic.
"Parents and families will struggle with inflation going up and everyone is impacted in some sort of way so offering free lunches and breakfast is really going to help our community," said Belen Casillas, communications director for the district.
Helping the community by providing free meals to the children will give parents some relief.
"This free meal program that the government provides helps us the parents. At this time, groceries are going up big time," said Sara Mojica, a Tyler resident.
Chapel Hill ISD has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students.
It applied for a federal grant called the Community Eligibility Program to replace the funding it lost this school year.
"Our community really appreciated that they wouldn’t have to put that extra dollar in their grocery bill," Casillas said.
To be eligible for this program, school districts needed to have at least 40% of their students eligible for free meals or received government assistance.
Other school districts like Bullard ISD and Lindale ISD won’t be able to offer free meals to everyone since the schools don’t meet those requirements.
"If we reach that threshold, we’ll certainly fill out that paper work so all students can eat free. But at this time we have an application process that all parents need to fill out to see if they qualify for free or reduced lunches," said Stan Surratt, Lindale ISD superintendent
Pine Tree ISD and Longview ISD both applied for the program and will be giving students free lunches this upcoming school year.