National School Lunch Program

Each and everyday there are many children who go to school hungry. In 1946, President Harry Truman signed the National School Lunch Act. This act allows for over 101,000 school systems and daycares to provide low cost or no cost meals to over 30 million children daily. On a federal level the Food and Nutrition service oversees this program and on a state level the educational systems look after them. This program must follow nutition guidelines set forth by the Food and Nutrition Service. In order to qualify for free or reduced lunch prices one must meet certain finacial qualifications. If your income falls below 130 percent of the poverty level you will be eligible for free lunch. If your income falls between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level you would be eligible for reduced priced lunch. If your income is over the 185 percent level you will need to pay the full price for lunch. The USDA supports the National School Lunch Program by reimbursing schools and daycares with a cash. They also provide them with commodity foods or "entitlement" foods. In 2006 the cost for this program was 8.2 billion dollars. For more information you may go to http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Lunch/