The school food service is taking applications now for students who need free or reduced meals.
In Charlotte County about 42 percent of public school students qualify for free and reduced meals. The Charlotte School District’s spokesman Michael Riley says at one school in particular almost 80 percent of students qualify. And just getting food to them is not enough.

“There has been a focus recently on health and nutrition with the kids./ They’re trying to find alternatives to get so many of the sweets out of the school and get more nutritious snacks in. Our food service director has worked very hard to comply with federal and state standards and really to provide nutritious meals to the kids. That’s their goal.”

Riley says qualifications for free and reduced meals are based on a federal formula involving the number of children in a household. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals, while those between 130 and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced meals.