Due to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s extension of the Summer Food Service Program, beginning Mon., Sept. 14, St. Cloud Area School District will be able to provide free breakfast and lunch for all students (including Distance Learning Academy).

For hybrid students, meals will be served at school on a student’s in-person days. Students will receive meals for at-home days at the end of their in-person day each week:

• K-2 students—Thursday afternoon;

• A students—Monday and Wednesday afternoons (two days’ meals on Wednesdays);

• B students—Tuesday and Thursday afternoons (two days’ meals on Thursday).

Beginning Sept. 14, Distance Learning Academy students can pick up Grab and Go meals between 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on Monday through Thursday, at their neighborhood elementary school (this includes secondary students). Their at-home meal will be sent home with them Thursday afternoons. DLA students will need to “opt in” for meals prior to picking up daily meals using the form on the district website.

This USDA allowance is for a limited time and based on the availability of funding. Families will be notified when the program will be discontinued and return to the fee-based meal program.

It is still important that all families complete the free and reduced lunch application if there is a financial need for assistance in meal payment when the district returns to the fee-based meal program.