PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A program that’s been a lifeline for thousands of children in Palm Beach County is about to change, and for many families, it’s hitting hard.
Starting next school year, free breakfast and lunch for all students at certain schools will no longer be available.
WATCH BELOW: 'It’s gotten bad, it’s been a struggle for our families,' CEO Jamie Kendall tells WPTV's Joel Lopez
The district told parents that only students who qualify for free or reduced lunch will continue to eat at no cost, while others will now pay $2.50 for breakfast and $3.50 for lunch.
WPTV has reached out to the School District of Palm Beach County.
At Picower Boundless Park in Lake Worth Beach, a grandfather watched his grandson, Wyatt, play and admitted that the news “will definitely impact us.”
He said it’s something that weighs heavily on his family, “very much so,” because his older grandson depends on the free meals.
When asked how the change might affect them, he painted a vivid picture of their reality.
“It’s a struggle, especially with the gas prices now a days. My family, they just barely make it," he said. "We just hope it gets better.”
The Scale of the Problem
The Palm Beach County Food Bank estimates 50,000 children in the county are already at risk of being food insecure and CEO Jamie Kendall believes that number is only going to grow.
“It’s gotten bad, it’s been a struggle for our families,” Kendall said, explaining that “our partner agencies, the boots on the ground out in the community, they’re seeing an increase, we’re seeing an increase here at the food bank, we’re fielding those phone calls, we know that the need is great.”
She wants families to know there’s help available.
“We’re here to help,” she said.
Education
Free summer meals available for kids in Palm Beach County, Treasure Coast
But Kendall also acknowledged that inflation is hitting everyone.
“We know ourselves right? You go to the grocery store, you go to the gas station now and the inflationary issues that we are all facing are reaping havoc,” she said.
The hardest-hit group, Kendall said, is working families.
WATCH BELOW: Grocery prices keep rising, families turn to debt
“Working families who just need that extra bit of help to bridge that gap," she said, "these are working parents who are working hard but because of inflationary issues they just can’t.”
And she’s worried about more than food shortages. The change means some children will once again have to apply for assistance, something she fears could carry a social burden.
“I’m very sad that students and their families are going to maybe have to face that again and have to deal with that, because it was really such a wonderful program to offer all of our kids in Palm Beach County,” Kendall said.
Not Just Low-Income Families
Ruth Mageria, executive director of CROS Ministries, said families across the financial spectrum are feeling the pressure.
“It’s concerning for us at CROS and within the hunger relief agencies, because it means there will be more people needing food or some people not getting enough food to eat,” she explained.
Last year, CROS served 121,000 people, about 30% of them children, and Mageria said she’s already hearing from families who “are worried about the next school year and what they’ll do and whether they’ll have enough funding money to be able to purchase some of the lunches.”
Filling the Gap with Community Support
CROS operates ten pantry locations offering healthy options throughout Palm Beach County. Right now, they’re working to collect 20,000 pounds of food to ensure those pantries stay stocked over the summer.
“It doesn’t matter how much you give, whether it’s one box one can, if we all come together collectively we can make a difference,” Mageria said.
Their Summer Match Drive will match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 through September, thanks to generous sponsors.
The Palm Beach County Food Bank is also working to collect donations.
They said this summer they are doubling their Summer BreakSpot meals and children served compared to last summer by serving 2,000 children every day.
Families can also turn to the Palm Beach County Food Finder app, which connects residents to nearby food service locations. And as summer begins, many hunger relief organizations are launching seasonal meal programs to ensure kids who won’t be eating at school still have access to food.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
