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By Kimberly Beltran
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
An annual inflation adjustment has added more than 10cents per meal beginning this fall in federal support for the free andreduced-price school food program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announcedrecently.
But a California legislator is calling on Congress toinstitute changes that would modify the way reimbursements to schools arecalculated, as well as help more of the state’s working poor qualify for theprogram.
“The failure to recognize local costs of living is anissue of equity affecting California’s children, especially those in high costregions like the Bay Area,” Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner said in a statementlast week announcing a resolution urging the federal government to use aregional cost of living index to qualify low-income families in the free orreduced- price meals program and to calculate reimbursements to schooldistricts.
“One size fits all does not protect the health andwell-being of the California families that face severe economic hardships asthey try to put food on the table,” Skinner said.
Federal school nutrition programs determine eligibility usinga single, nationwide income level – based on a national consumer price index –which denies many families in high-cost regions access to school meal programsthat provide needed breakfasts, lunches and afterschool snacks, the BerkeleyDemocrat noted.
A family of four in Oakland, for example, needs $58,251to be considered self-sufficient, according to Skinner,