All school-age children in Madison County will be able to receive free lunch meals this summer through a school nutrition program called “Seamless Summer Option” (SSO). The county board of education approved the program at its May 10 business meeting.
SSO is funded through the USDA and administered by the Georgia Department of Education.
The free lunch program will begin Monday, June 6, and operate from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday – Friday through July 22 at the freshman academy cafeteria (old middle school) on Madison Street in Danielsville. (The cafeteria will be closed for the July 4 holiday.)
Superintendent Allen McCannon said all school age children within Madison County from kindergarten through 12th grade can eat free of charge, regardless of income.
“Times are tough and we’re excited to be able to offer this during the summer,” McCannon said.
He said the program is designed to benefit the community in two ways: by providing school age children with a nourishing lunch during the summer break and by providing employment for a few people that normally don’t work during the summer.
Students eligible for free and reduced price meals is increasing annually in the school system, and is currently at 58.8 percent, McCannon noted.
“School nutrition managers regularly relate stories of students that get little or no food on the weekend or other similar situations,” he said.
Perfect example of wealth redistribution!!!! It's sick to think that those that work hard and make good money should have to support those that sit back and do nothing. I understand in part what ER is saying. We have such an entitlement society that is used to having everything given to them, but yet they have the money to buy all the flashy stuff. I would not want to see any children go hungry.
My child is one of the few that actually eat a lunch paid for by his parents at MCHS,but I remind him often that those kids that get a free lunch don't have a job,and neither does he. He knows he is fortunate,but no better than are.
Here's the problem with that. There are just a relatively few students that live in the vicinity of the Academy (within walking distance). Therefore, anyone that would use this service would have to be driven to the school, using up fuel that is close to $4 a gallon. I know for me, that free lunch wouldn't justify the amount of fuel it would take to drive my kids there. This might be a good program in areas where children mostly live within walking distance of a school, but in our rural area it is just silly. Save the money for this program and put it back where it is NEEDED--saving teachers' jobs or fixing the buses.
Not silly to fed kids that need help. There are those in MC and elsewhere that are too proud to take GOVT hand outs. Someone mention a farm tax being used wrong and guess those that take that unfairly are not proud. Those that hide their salary or self made income are not proud. Those that have affairs on spouses not proud. I could go on and on. Will stop as mom said if can not say something nice to shut my mouth. Have said enough so will shut my mouth now.
And I don't know why you went off about teachers reasons for teaching, that has nothing to do with anything. They could save the money from this program to keep the good teachers that have been cut (and they ARE good teachers) and fix the buses. If the kids could walk to get these lunches, it would make more sense.
I don't mind a healthy debate here, but please address what was written and don't go off on some rambling rabbit trail that has nothing to do with it. And please don't try to make me look bad with a misquote, ie: "not silly to fed [sic] kids that need help." Because I never said that and I don't appreciate being misquoted and you trying to make it look like I don't want kids that need help to get it, because I have been there.