"Food Service Directors of the Brunswick and Caribou School Departments have told me that many Maine families who qualify for reduced-price meals often find it difficult to pay even the reduced fee. For example, in Caribou, over the past three years between 19% and 32% of the students eligible for reduced-price meals did not actually purchase those meals," said Senator Collins. "We need to make sure that every school child in Maine gets a healthy meal, which is critical to increasing academic achievement and creating a positive school environment."
The legislation authored by Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) and backed by Senators Tom Daschle (D-SD), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Dick Lugar (R-IN), would amend the income eligibility guidelines for the National School Lunch Program over the course of five years to ensure that every child in the program receives a free meal.
Of the 209,000 Maine school children, more than 64,000 are eligible to receive either a free or reduced-price meal each school day. The School Board of Caribou has adopted a resolution in support of the legislation Collins is backing.