"Well-fed kids create well-fed minds" is the TwinStar Community Foundation's credo. During the Covid-19 pandemic, lunch was paid for by the federal government for all students. When school resumed in Fall 2021, unpaid lunch debt from two years prior carried over and were still owed by families after the federal program had ended. To ease the financial burden on families, the foundation donated $55,000 to help pay off outstanding lunch debt for all students K-12th grade in Thurston, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties.
Legislation is in the works to help pay for school lunches for all Washington students. If this passes, it would go into effect for the 2023-24 school year. Please contact your area legislators to show your support for the proposal so that all students will be guaranteed a lunch at school.
Learn more about the legislation at Kiro7 News:
State schools chief proposes free school meals for all Washington students