Breaking the Stigma: Free Lunch and Breakfast Initiatives

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There is Such a Thingas
Free Lunch… and
Breakfast
Removing the Stigma Behind
Completing Free Lunch Forms
Lessons Learned
 
 
undefined
 
At the Hunger Free Kids
Conference
 
Moderator
: What could we do to make it easier to feed
more kids?
Kevin: 
Remove the roadblocks for free lunch-pride,
paperwork & private data
Lt. Gov. Smith: 
What can the Governor’s office do to
help?
Kevin: 
Give districts $250 per student, make everyone fill
out free lunch form and give them all free lunch
Lt. Gov. Smith: 
Just looked at me funny and said thank
you
MDE: 
You would also get all of those compensatory
dollars
 
 
It shouldn’t be that hard. So I called
Tom Melcher.
 
 
 
 
 
Compensatory Revenue: The
Game Changer
 
December 15 final FY 2017
Compensatory revenue
calculator10 23 2016.xlsx
 
 
 
If You Don’t Like the Rule Change It
 
..\Free lunch Nov 2016\Free Lunch
proposal.docx
 
 
MDE Uses December 15
th
 Data We
had Three Weeks After Board
Approval
..\Free lunch Nov 2016\A
Brave Conversation about Free
Lunch.docx
 
 
 
 
 
And The Results Are In:
GOAL: 257 Forms Filled Out
  33 Free
  21 Reduced
144 Denied: 
The number I am most proud of
198 Total
 
Minnesota Nice beat out Minnesota
Pride.
We came up short of the 80%
number. Once were at break even, I
didn’t really care.
 
 
Compensatory Revenue:
The Game Changer
 
Tom Melcher’s Spreadsheet
with Kevin’s Modifications
December 15 final FY 2017
Compensatory revenue
calculator10 23 2016.xlsx
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
What do NYC, Boston,
D.C.,
 
Chicago, Detroit
and Dallas (over 1.7M
total students). &
Menahga, MN (1,048
students) have in
common?
 
 
No kids pay for meals!
They have Universal
Free Meals and fill out
no forms! We have to
fill out forms and our
district pays the
half.  We are in our
third year.
 
 
Other Take-Aways:
 
1.
We now have 500 students who
no longer have to pay for lunch
2.
We are serving 200+ more
students lunch every day.
3.
Salad bar sold it for us
4.
No more chasing unpaid bills
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
More Take Aways:
 
5. We had to hire staff and add prep
room
6. You get compensatory Revenue
whether students eat or not.
7. We still banked Money.
8. Doubting Parents have promised to
fill out the forms next Year
9.We make the form part of our
registration and open house.
 
 
It turned out, it 
doesn’t
 have to be
that hard! And we have a new
revenue source!
 
 
 
 
 
No Good Deed Goes
Unpunisheed
 
After a Year of Free Meals
 
Form Completion Dropped 20%
 
Compensatory Revenue
Dropped $100,000
 
 
 
 
New Push this Year with threat of ending
program.
 
75% completed forms get $117,000 back
next year.
 
Parents save about $500 per child per year,
and they can spend it in the community
 
 
This year salad bar became a federally
reimbursable meal
 
 
 
 
undefined
 
 
Nationally
 
20,721 
 
Number of schools in the U.S. with 
 
who
prequalify and do not need to complete any forms
because their entire community pre-qualifies.
 
9,697,575 Number of students in those schools (19.45%
of the total US public school population)
 
25,826,227  Number public school students  on free and
reduced lunch as of 2014-15. (51.8%)
 
15% Students we are missing due to PRIDE, language,
fear or confusion
 
2/3 Total number of children who should qualify if I am
right.
 
B
 
Why are we still filling
out forms?
 
We are at the point where
meals should be a part of
education as much as text
books and computers for
ALL students.
 
 
 
 
 
B
 
Statewide:
Need Passive way to
Qualify
Statewide Universal Free
Meals cost per pupil =$200
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nationally:
We are already over half way there
National Universal Free Meals
Cost per pupil $200 for all
Benefits ALL…
Eliminates State and Federal
Bureaucracy
If you can afford lunch you can donate
the money you save
undefined
 
If you try this please email me how many
new students will get free lunch because of
it and How much new revenue was
generated.
I will track that data share it out next year.
 
If You Have Questions Later:
Kevin Wellen, Superintendent
Menahga Public Schools
kwellen@menahga.k12.mn.us
Cell: 320.491.6256
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Addressing the challenges surrounding free lunch forms, this article delves into discussions from the Hunger Free Kids Conference, emphasizing the need to simplify the process and ensure every child receives nutritious meals. Insights from key stakeholders highlight the importance of removing barriers and promoting universal access to free lunches. The narrative reflects on strategies, outcomes, and the broader impact on school communities striving to eliminate food insecurity.

  • Free Lunch
  • Hunger Free Kids
  • Stigma Removal
  • School Nutrition
  • Food Insecurity

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  1. There is Such a Thingas Free Lunch and Breakfast Removing the Stigma Behind Completing Free Lunch Forms Lessons Learned

  2. At the Hunger Free Kids Conference Moderator: What could we do to make it easier to feed more kids? Kevin: Remove the roadblocks for free lunch-pride, paperwork & private data Lt. Gov. Smith: What can the Governor s office do to help? Kevin: Give districts $250 per student, make everyone fill out free lunch form and give them all free lunch Lt. Gov. Smith: Just looked at me funny and said thank you MDE: You would also get all of those compensatory dollars

  3. It shouldnt be that hard. So I called Tom Melcher.

  4. Compensatory Revenue: The Game Changer December 15 final FY 2017 Compensatory revenue calculator10 23 2016.xlsx

  5. If You Dont Like the Rule Change It ..\Free lunch Nov 2016\Free Lunch proposal.docx

  6. MDE Uses December 15thData We had Three Weeks After Board Approval..\Free lunch Nov 2016\A Brave Conversation about Free Lunch.docx

  7. And The Results Are In: GOAL: 257 Forms Filled Out 33 Free 21 Reduced 144 Denied: The number I am most proud of 198 Total Minnesota Nice beat out Minnesota Pride. We came up short of the 80% number. Once were at break even, I didn t really care.

  8. Compensatory Revenue: The Game Changer Tom Melcher s Spreadsheet with Kevin s Modifications December 15 final FY 2017 Compensatory revenue calculator10 23 2016.xlsx

  9. What do NYC, Boston, D.C., Chicago, Detroit and Dallas (over 1.7M total students). & Menahga, MN (1,048 students) have in common?

  10. No kids pay for meals! They have Universal Free Meals and fill out no forms! We have to fill out forms and our district pays the half. We are in our third year.

  11. Other Take-Aways: 1. We now have 500 students who no longer have to pay for lunch 2. We are serving 200+ more students lunch every day. 3. Salad bar sold it for us 4. No more chasing unpaid bills

  12. More Take Aways: 5. We had to hire staff and add prep room 6. You get compensatory Revenue whether students eat or not. 7. We still banked Money. 8. Doubting Parents have promised to fill out the forms next Year 9.We make the form part of our registration and open house.

  13. It turned out, it doesnt have to be that hard! And we have a new revenue source!

  14. No Good Deed Goes Unpunisheed After a Year of Free Meals Form Completion Dropped 20% Compensatory Revenue Dropped $100,000

  15. New Push this Year with threat of ending program. 75% completed forms get $117,000 back next year. Parents save about $500 per child per year, and they can spend it in the community This year salad bar became a federally reimbursable meal

  16. Nationally 20,721 prequalify and do not need to complete any forms because their entire community pre-qualifies. Number of schools in the U.S. with who 9,697,575 Number of students in those schools (19.45% of the total US public school population) 25,826,227 Number public school students on free and reduced lunch as of 2014-15. (51.8%) 15% Students we are missing due to PRIDE, language, fear or confusion 2/3 Total number of children who should qualify if I am right.

  17. B Why are we still filling out forms? We are at the point where meals should be a part of education as much as text books and computers for ALL students.

  18. B Statewide: Need Passive way to Qualify Statewide Universal Free Meals cost per pupil =$200

  19. Nationally: We are already over half way there National Universal Free Meals Cost per pupil $200 for all Benefits ALL Eliminates State and Federal Bureaucracy If you can afford lunch you can donate the money you save

  20. If you try this please email me how many new students will get free lunch because of it and How much new revenue was generated. I will track that data share it out next year. If You Have Questions Later: Kevin Wellen, Superintendent Menahga Public Schools kwellen@menahga.k12.mn.us Cell: 320.491.6256

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