CINCINNATI — Ohio served roughly 18 million fewer school breakfasts last school year compared to the year before as pandemic-era programs subsidizing costs expired, according to a new report. The number is the largest numerical drop for school breakfasts in the entire country.
During COVID-19, nearly all students were able to get free breakfast and lunch from school. That changed in 2022. The report, released in March by the Food Research & Action Center, examined how numbers changed before and after.
Data shows Ohio served nearly 21 million fewer school lunches during the 2022-2023 school year compared to the year before. The report found the state saw a roughly 22% decrease in school breakfast participation and a 14% decrease in school lunch participation.
“It's been a significant change,” said Michael Truitt, director of community partnerships and programs at Freestore Foodbank.
As pandemic-era programs involving food have expired, Freestore Foodbank has seen demand jump.
“When we saw those waivers from COVID go away, we saw almost a 40% increase in folks coming to our markets overnight,” he said.
Truitt said the organization is serving more families and seeing a higher need than during the majority of the pandemic.
Without school meals, Truitt warned children could face other consequences.
“Children who do not have food in their stomach cannot pay attention,” he said. “There's behavioral problems.”
Ohio lawmakers approved funding to help pay for some school meals in the state budget. Truitt said any funding for food is a good thing.
In Kentucky, participation in school breakfast and lunch programs went up during the 2022-2023 school year.
The report credits a high rate of participation in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federal program that supports schools in low-income areas. The program allows schools and school districts to provide free meals to all students without collecting applications.
To be eligible, a school or district must have a certain percentage of identified students who qualify for free school meals without submitting an application, such as those already certified through SNAP benefits.
“The good news is that the funding and the support is there,” Truitt said. “The bad news is that funding and support is more heavily needed.”
In the fall of 2023, the U.S. Department lowered the required percentage of identified students for schools or districts to qualify for CEP, from 40% to 25%.
“As a result of this rule, more schools are eligible to participate in CEP and experience the associated benefits,” reads the program’s website.
The rule change will allow more schools and districts to qualify for CEP going forward.
Still, nonprofits remain a safety net to ensure coverage for those who are otherwise slipping through the cracks.
“Freestore Foodbank has been blessed with a lot of support from the community,” said Truitt. “We continue to ask for support from this community.”
