School meals not free for all students this year in Henrico

For the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, school meals will not be offered free of charge to all Henrico students in public schools this school year.

Emergency federal flexibility that allowed free meals for all students during the pandemic expired at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Many Virginia school districts, including Henrico, now are again requiring applications and family income data to determine eligibility for free, reduced-price or paid meals.

Even students who previously were eligible for free and reduced-priced meals may lose their benefits if they don’t have an approved application on file by Thursday, Oct. 13.

In Henrico, families should fill out their applications online at HenricoVA.SchoolLunchApp.com or obtain a paper copy from their child’s school and mail it in. For details, call Henrico Schools' School Nutrition Services at (804) 226-5544.

Virginia is expanding eligibility for free meals during the 2022-2023 school year through funding provided by the General Assembly in the state budget. Students with families at or below 185% of the federal poverty level are eligible for free meals. Previously, students from families with an income at or below 130% of the poverty level were eligible for free meals.

“School meals are important sources of nutrition for students and help reduce food insecurity in the commonwealth,” said Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “I urge all families to apply to determine if they qualify. Filling out an application is simple and takes less than 15 minutes.”

Parents of students who are not eligible for free or reduced lunches can add funds to their students’ accounts to pay for meals by clicking here.

Students are automatically eligible for free meals if anyone in their household receives benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations or Medicaid. Schools will notify families if a child is automatically eligible.

More than 525,000 students qualified for free meals in Virginia when data was last collected in 2019. The new eligibility means approximately 64,500 more kids can access free meals.

“It’s more important than ever for families to apply for free school meals. If no application is on file, students will need to pay for meals on the first day of school and may start to accrue meal debt, said VDOE School Nutrition Director Sandy Curwood. “And the good news is, if you qualify, free meals are seamless. Students will access their meals in the cafeteria with a pin number or a lunch card, with no overt identification. Please apply now,” Curwood said.

Filling out a free form may help families qualify for additional benefits to include discounted exam fees and college applications, extracurricular and scholarship opportunities.

“School meals are critical to supporting academic success and well-being,” said Director of No Kid Hungry Virginia Sarah Steely. “We are grateful to all school nutrition staff who work hard to fuel our students’ minds and bodies,” Steely said.