Free summer lunches offered for students

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Free summer lunches offered for students

Posted by

Margie Richards

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Saturday, May 21. 2011

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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.

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#1 er on 05/22/11 at 05:57 AM [Reply]

Of those 58.8 percent who receive free/reduced lunches, I bet the majority of their parents or parent has the latest cell phone, the most expensive shoes and clothes and expensive tattoes on their bodies..but give me free food.

#1.1 er on need to understand on 05/23/11 at 06:15 PM [Reply]

Times have changed. There are far more honest hard working people barely making ends meet. Do not punish their children. I remember in grade school 1950s some kids packed lunches 2 pieces bread with mayo and sometimes not even that. They had good parents but times after Korea tough. Maybe if some free loaders paid more taxes instead of off shore accounts, not reporting income so not taxed maybe could have more for all. Bet if FORD offered to build diesel plant in MC and starting jobs $13 to $ 14 hour with pass drug screen to be hired and drug screens to be continued employed and only for MC resident that you would have many hundred if not a 1000 show up for pre employment. So whoever you are you are not in the know but yes there are those that do as you say but far more that do not. Maybe changing special assessment in MC as lamar notes would help but do you get one of those er on ?

#1.1.1 lee on 05/23/11 at 06:58 PM [Reply]

" Maybe if some free loaders paid more taxes instead of off shore accounts, not reporting income so not taxed maybe could have more for all."

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.

#1.1.1.1 MC taxed on 05/24/11 at 10:54 AM [Reply]

To Lee : OK what is unjustified conservation tax break if not wealth redistribution but some of these people know they do not qualify and do the good old buddy wink wink. Not only are they stealing other persons money's but lying as well. So Lee those who pay taxes but now almost negative home budget but have 10 acres and have not learned to "use the system" or feel guilty doing so guess let their kids suffer while a unjust conservation tax family has money to go to disney and all. I am sick of people like that. I would go to BOA and complain but I am concerned over people then picking fights on purpose and it becomes he said or he said and if 2 of them well you loose cause they will lie against you.

#1.2 Fed up! on 05/26/11 at 09:23 AM [Reply]

That is a really unfair generalization. You have no clue about these people's lives. Do you know how scarce employment is right now? Do you understand how hard it is to make ends meet? Have you ever had to choose between food and electricity/rent? Our family has given up satellite TV, magazine subscriptions, renting dvds, driving except when absolutely necessary, I haven't had a haircut in a year, been wearing the same shoes for 14 months, and we've applied to probably 70+ jobs with NO responses. And we both have a college degree. So quit making blanket statements based on your assumptions.

#2 Ben Had on 05/22/11 at 09:00 PM [Reply]

Those kids can't control their circumstances anymore than you can obviously not control being a jerk.
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.

#2.1 Virginia Moss on 05/23/11 at 10:57 AM [Reply]

Thank you; you saved me the trouble.

#2.2 Anonymous on 05/26/11 at 09:53 AM [Reply]

My kids hear from "friends" that they get free lunch because "moma said daddy don't live with us" maybe someone needs to verify this better. Some of the free lunch kids are those of people I know need to be paying just like I do!

#3 CJD on 05/26/11 at 09:31 AM [Reply]

My comment is on the article, not about judging the ones who get free lunches. My problem with this is, our school system is cutting salaries, laying off teachers and aides, causing awesome teachers to take early retirement rather than teach with less money, school buses breaking down on the side of the road because they can't afford to fix them or replace them, etc, etc. But, they can offer free lunches to students during the summer.

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.

#3.1 DMH on 05/26/11 at 10:46 AM [Reply]

Dear CJD many so call senior teachers well are not as good as the younger ones. They are there to get benefits and retire with pension which I have personally heard some say. Charter school Ga Supreme court ruling against will set education back. We need different school board for a competing school system. I do not have teacher benefits nor vacation nor their salary. The system needs changing as the MC as well as Georgia tax payers do not have more funds to pay taxes without putting us on Medicaid for example. Look at cities such as Detroit that tried to tax and tax and see what happened there. Look at our state's so call great City of Atlanta where all people no matter what color are leaving due to taxed and taxed.

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.

#3.1.1 CJD on 05/27/11 at 11:34 PM [Reply]

What are you talking about? I didn't say it was silly to feed kids that need help, I said a program like that in a rural county like ours is silly. Re-read what I wrote. Most kids do not live close to the Academy, so will have to be driven there. The money used for the fuel to drive there could be saved and used to buy a loaf of bread and some pb&j. I know what its like to not have food, so don't flame me for that. But if I spend money on gas to drive to get a lunch, I could save the gas money and use for bread, you see?

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.

#3.1.1.1 Christine Butler on 05/28/11 at 02:24 PM [Reply]

So well put! Often times sadly people use these forums to attack other people. THIS IS A PRIME example when we the "people of rural area's" know all to well how well meaning programs like these are not designed to our demographic. It just needs to be said repeatedly, I guess; because poverty seems to be "out of sight out of mind" to children and elderly in the out skirts of the city limits... With the exception of "Meals on Wheels" I did delivery for them and they go every where, but I think it is only for elderly/homebound with Dr.s orders. I hope that more people like us speak out about life outside the city limits!!!!! And when these for mentioned programs are being considered TRANSPORTATION is the first question answered when too begin another HELPFUL program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#3.1.1.1.1 Virginia Moss on 05/29/11 at 07:08 PM [Reply]

Yes, I wish commenters here would just state their opinions and then support them or offer verifyable information or possible solutions. How can one attack a ghost (a person unknown to everyone that the attacker will never know)? All that is available is an opinion to attack so stick to that, please

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