During the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture paid for school breakfast and lunch for all children, regardless of household income. That relief for hungry kids ended this year, which means school lunch debt will begin piling up again. Most folks think our property taxes pay for school lunch, but they don’t. By law, the school lunch program is set up as an enterprise fund, meaning the program must pay for itself through the fees it collects and through USDA support. Federal law does not allow for federal funds to be used to pay school lunch debt, so a gap exists between what the school district can cover and the actual cost of providing the food. Kids can qualify for free or reduced-cost school lunch through the USDA. However, in order to qualify parents have to fill out the USDA forms. And some parents just won’t do it, don’t want to be identified by the government or are confused by the process. So, the kids are left holding the bag.
Luckily, at least in Flathead County, the community consistently steps up to eliminate school lunch debt that accrues over time. A charity I am affiliated with – Gapfillers – does just that: takes donations and eliminates school lunch debt, provides free puberty products and dispensers in schools, distributes hygiene kits for all kids to use during school breaks, and provides life-saving medications that school districts have no funding to provide.
The efforts to close these “gaps” is working. Our community has stepped up every time a call is made for help. Recently, School District 5 made us aware of the following lifesaving medical equipment needs:
1) Epi-Pens which provide emergency treatment for children who have an allergic reaction;
2) Life Vacs that provide emergency treatment in choking events; and
3) Portable nebulizers for children suffering from emergent asthma attacks.
In total, it was a big ask for a single school district – $12,000 in equipment and medication. But once the call was put out to the community, donors stepped up. First Interstate Bank matched the donations Gapfillers received and now the kids in School District 5 have the lifesaving medical supplies they need.
The character of our valley is defined by how our community comes together to support kids. Equality of opportunity is a Montana value that resonates with all of us. We can never guarantee outcomes, but we most certainly can provide the same launching pad from which children can grow. The counter to a society that seems chaotic and angry is continuous acts of generosity. It is these acts of generosity that make the Flathead Valley the best place to live and raise a family. If you know of a gap in a school that needs filling, please contact us at gapfillersflathead.org.
Tammi Fisher is an attorney, former mayor of Kalispell and host of the Montana Values Podcast.