Osseo Area Schools Provides Free Meals for Students
Parents of Osseo Area School students won’t have to worry about meal planning this Fall because free meals will be provided for all students beginning Sept. 14.
Last week, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) provided a waiver to all school districts in Minnesota. The waiver would extend free breakfast and lunch through Dec. 31 or until funding runs out.
During the first two weeks of distance learning at Osseo Area Schools, meals are available through curbside pick-up. When students transition to the hybrid model, they’ll get free meals served in school. They’ll also get an extra breakfast and lunch to bring home for the next day.
Students enrolled in the distance learning academy will get free 5-day meal boxes beginning on Sept. 25. School staff say not only will this help families with food insecurities but it also saves parents’ time.
“Not having to plan meals and having to prepare for them, I think it’s going to free up a lot of time,” said Jeff Ansorge, the school districts’ food service director. “Parents are finding themselves in a a teacher situation really. I think a lot of it is district led and very structured, but still it takes effort and time from a parents perspective at home. So having meals prepared I think really takes one thing off their plates, so to speak.”
Prior to COVID-19, the school district provided about 20,000 meals a day. When COVID hit, at the peak of the free meal service, the school provided 30,000 a week. That’s significantly lower.
School staff are hoping that this fall, more families will take advantage of the free meal service.
- Click here for more information on the extended free meal service.
