By Emma Canillo News Editor
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has provided an extension of certain COVID-19 accommodations for San Juan Unified students, allowing schools like El Camino to receive free breakfast and lunch throughout the 2021-2022 school year.
During the first closure of San Juan schools for COVID-19, breakfast and lunch bags were handed out at various schools for students of all grade levels to take home and eat. These bags of food were free to all families during the stages of at-home learning.
When San Juan students returned back to school for the 2021-2022 school year, the USDA announced that free breakfast and lunch bags would continue for those who wanted the meals.
Nutritional Services Supervisor Jane Usrey expresses her joy and gratitude for this lunch opportunity at EC.
“I’m really excited that we’re able to feed all the kids that want the food because I think it’s really important for the kids to have a good, balanced breakfast and lunch,” Usrey said.
Initially, parents or guardians were required to submit a federal meal application and continuously pay for their children to receive breakfast and lunch during the school year.
Being able to receive free breakfast and lunch on a regular basis is extremely helpful to many families and students that attend San Juan Schools like EC.
“I think it’s really important for all families to be getting these meals. There is definitely people that need it,” Usrey said.
Usrey and other nutritional staff at EC have noticed that since the opening of school and the extension of free breakfast and lunch, the amount of students taking the opportunity to get these meals have increased, which shows the true significance of these meals for EC families and students.
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