More Kids Qualify for Free or Reduced School Lunch

In school districts across the country, more and more children are qualifying for free or reduced school lunch. This is most likely due to the recent recession in the country, with more people unemployed or making reduced wages. It's excellent that the government has a program that protects children during their most crucial development years. The fact that more children are qualifying for the lunch program creates a more urgent need to reform the quality of school lunch.

It's been our experience that kids who qualify for free or reduced lunch are the majority of kids participating in the school lunch program. Those who can afford to bring lunches from home. This creates a micro-social class system in every school. The "poor" kids eat lunch at school and they have no option but to eat the processed, calorie and sodium-laden food that is served every day, while the "well-off" kids bring healthy, fresh lunches from home. This system not only hurts the school district financially, but also hurts those children who need our help and attention the most.

Organic Fresh Fingers is committed to making sure every child, no matter their socio-economic status, has access to a fresh, nutritious and delicious school lunch. In fact, we've found in our schools that when our Fresh n' Local lunch program is served, participation of children who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch rises almost immediately by at least 20%. This helps the school have a more sustainable and profitable lunch program, as well as creating an atmosphere where all children enjoy the lunch meal together.