Free lunch provided to students in CUSD schools could end in the 2022-2023 school year. 

This free lunch program was never going to be permanent, it was just an aid to those who needed it due to the pandemic and the lower incomes of families. The schools want to get rid of the free lunch because they want people’s daily lives to go back to how they were before the pandemic. The program is set to end July 1, 2022 unless some action is taken by Congress. There is a rumor of a bill being passed to extend the free meals program to September 2023 but it is not confirmed. “We have not released any guidance to our families yet because it could very well change and it’s a bit too early. Of course, we will keep the district apprised of any changes as soon as we are aware” Jenny Bracamonte, director of food and nutrition operations for CUSD told SanTan Sun News. The Arizona Food Bank Network says that more than 311,000 children don’t get enough food they need. During the pandemic, there were up to 30 million students in America that benefited from the free food program. There were many benefits to the free lunch program including districts being easily able to transition to curbside services, allowing districts to address any supply chain issues, students getting served faster and having more time to eat and more.