BETHLEHEM, Pa. – An urgent call to action from several area groups. Nearly two dozen clergy members are joining in on a fight for free lunches for students in Bethlehem Area School District.
They say, they want this to be an issue that the community and the school board support.
“This is what our call is. Feed the hungry and that doesn’t just mean helping out the soup kitchen or helping out with the food bank,” said Rev. Maryann Sturges the canon for community connections.
The district says they participate in state and federal programs that provide free and reduced-price meals to eligible students, ensuring support is directed to those who need it most. In addition, all BASD students receive free breakfast, funded by the state.
Recently, the Lehigh Valley Democratic Socialists of America (LVDSA) has advocated expanding free lunch to all students through the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
Rev. Maryann Sturges is one of the clergy members joining the fight for free lunch. The group says programs currently in place require families to re-apply, a process they call complicated, and they believe comes with social stigma.
“That burden of parents having to prove every year that they are still poor doesn’t seem right to me,” said Sturges.
The group says lunch debt should not burden students and families. They want the district to adopt funding through the Community Eligibility Provision or CEP program.
“If adopted it would pay the Bethlehem Area School District for a percentage of the lunches,” she said.
The group now calling on the district to mimic neighboring school districts.
“Even if it is going to cost the school district some money…show that we the taxpayers are willing to pay that money for children to be fed in Bethlehem, that’s my hope,” Sturges said.
“While BASD appreciates the intent behind this proposal, it is important for the community to understand that CEP does not fully fund meals for all students in every district,” a press release from the school district says.
“Providing meals for all students is a goal we support,” said Dr. Jack Silva, BASD Superintendent. “However, under current funding structures, programs like CEP do not cover the full cost for a district like BASD. Implementing such a program would result in a significant financial shortfall of approximately $500,000 per year that would need to be financed locally.”
For BASD, which serves approximately 12,400 students, offering free lunch to all students without full reimbursement would require the district to absorb substantial additional costs not currently included in the budget, according to the release. Officials say these costs could ultimately impact essential educational programs and student support services.
The district says while some neighboring districts are able to offer free meals to all students, their circumstances differ. For example, Allentown School District has a significantly higher percentage of students qualifying for assistance, allowing them to maximize federal reimbursement. District officials say BASD’s financial landscape is different, meaning the same model would not yield the same results.
BASD also continues to focus on increasing participation in existing meal programs, ensuring that all eligible students take advantage of the resources already available to them.
According to the release, the BASD remains committed to:
Ensuring no student goes without a hot meal
Ensuring no student has to accept an “alternative cold meal”
Supporting families through free and reduced-price meal programs
Participating in the state-funded free breakfast program for all students
Maintaining high-quality educational programs and services
“We will continue to advocate for solutions that support all students,” said Dr.Michael E. Faccinetto, BASD School Board President, adding, “while ensuring they are financially sustainable for our community.”