Help for Missoula-Area Students Who No Longer Get Free Lunches

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For the past two years, school meals have been free for every child in the United States due to the public health emergency. However, in June, the federal waiver for free school meals expired. This means that starting this year, students will no longer automatically receive free breakfasts and lunches.

To help students and schools, every family should fill out the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application and return it to their child’s school. In addition to saving money every week on school meals, qualifying families can receive waivers for the costs of the ACT/SAT, reduced fees or free school activities that can otherwise cost hundreds of dollars, and cheaper internet!

Even for families who don’t qualify for free or reduced meals, filling out the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application still helps our schools. These forms help with an accurate count of at-risk students, which is necessary to qualify for crucial federal funding to pay for additional staff, professional development, family support services, and other things to help meet at-risk students’ educational needs. 

The application can be returned to schools by email, regular mail, or in-person once the 2022-2023 school year begins. Participation in the school meals program is completely confidential. 

To help make the process even easier, staff from Missoula Food Bank & Community Center will be at school open houses, events, and the food bank helping people to fill out the forms.

If you have questions, contact Stacey Rossmiller with Missoula County Public Schools at slrossmiller@mcpsmt.org or Ashlee Schleicher with the Missoula Food Bank and Community Center at ashlee@missoulafoodbank.org.