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Universal school meal programs jump 20 percent in one year

Announcement made by USDA Secretary at Pediatrics meeting in Washington.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

October 29, 2015

1 Min Read
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The number of schools offering free meals to all students through the USDA’s community eligibility provision jumped 20 percent in this its second year, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced at a meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Washington.

He also announced that 97 percent of schools that participate in federal school meal programs are in compliance with heightened federal nutrition standards created under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

Community eligibility allows qualifying schools to offer universal free meals without requiring any students to qualify through family-income verification. Currently, more than 17,000 schools in high-poverty areas are offering nutritious meals to about 8 million students at no direct cost to the students through this provision.

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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