CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA – The School Nutrition Department of the Cherokee County School District begins the new school year by announcing that it will continue to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students for the entire 2021-22 school year.
Continuing USDA funding will enable the department to serve free breakfast and lunch to students attending school in person, and free takeaway meals to students studying at home and all students ages 0-18 that do not belong to Cherokee County. The previous announcement indicated that if the state of emergency ends before the end of the school year, this funding may be suspended, but the USDA has confirmed that funding for the district will continue through June.
It remains important that all families who believe they may otherwise be eligible for free and discounted meals fill out the online form as soon as possible. Families should fill out a form and list all of their children ages 0-18 on one form. If you’d rather fill out a paper form, let your child’s school know; The school staff can also help you fill out the form. These forms will help the district obtain federal funding to provide schools with additional teachers and support staff, academic teaching resources, and technology and Internet access. These forms also help students qualify for SAT, ACT, and AP test scholarships and discounts on college application fees.
Take-away food distribution
The Cherokee Schools summer vacation schedule for takeaway meals will end on July 26th. The district begins Monday, August 2, with the meal pickup schedule for the school year for digital learners and all non-Cherokee County students ages 0-18 who have a to-go meal bag of five breakfasts and want to have free takeaway lunch. The district will email parents of digital learning students an order form on Thursday morning starting July 29, due by 8 a.m. on Fridays. Parents of non-Cherokee County students ages 0-18 can use the order form posted online. Pickup locations will be at all district schools and a schedule will be included in the email and on the website.
Lunch buddies program
The district’s award-winning school nutrition department also continues another program launched last school year: Lunch Buddies. If your child prefers to have lunch from home, be aware that they may also benefit from USDA grant funding. As part of the Lunch Buddies program, students can enjoy a free serving of fruit, a grain-based side dish and a bag of milk with lunch from home. All students have to do is come through the food line, select their three items, and enter their cafeteria ID; the articles are booked in your account, but not debited.
Order à la carte and additional menu items
Students can still purchase à la carte and additional menu items, such as a second starter or additional side dishes, for a fee. When entering the canteen ID at the checkout, these additional items will be billed, but not the regular breakfast or lunch. If you want your child to be able to make these purchases, check the balance on their account and add funds as needed throughout the school year. You can keep track of their free meals and additional purchases through this website.
For more information on Cherokee County’s School Nutrition visit online or contact 770-721-8419 or email Paula.Hilton@cherokeek12.net.
Patch has partnered with Feeding America to raise awareness for millions of Americans at risk of starvation. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that by 2020, more than 54 million Americans will be insufficiently consuming nutritious foods due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a social project from Patch; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how to donate in your community or find a pantry near you.
