Liz Kirchner
As the government shut-down continues, the federal Child Nutrition Programs that support multiple school and community feeding programs in the New River Valley, can be supported “at normal levels well into the month of March” according to a Jan. 8 update sent to regional special nutrition program directors by Deputy Administrator of USDA Child Nutrition Program, Cynthia Long.
While the U. S. Department of Education has been funded through Sept. 30, 2019, and “is not at risk of shutting down at this time,” a DoE announcement said, child and adult nutrition programs administered by the DoE are not funded in the same way.
The USDA is one of the federal agencies impacted by the partial government shutdown and has not been permanently funded for federal fiscal year 2019, but has enough money to last until early in the year.
The USDA Child Nutrition Programs include the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Milk Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program as well as state-level administrative expenses.
“The DOE is doing a great job keeping us informed,” Connie Wood, director of nutrition for Radford Public Schools, said. “I’m hoping it’s going to be resolved soon, but so far, we’re not affected and we’re still feeding as many kids as we can same as we always do.”
Montgomery County and City of Radford schools administer the school breakfast and lunch programs. More than 3000 kids, about 35 percent, in the twenty Montgomery County schools are receive free or reduced lunch, 44 percent of Radford schools according to the DoE.
“We have 1604 students enrolled in Radford and the program’s available to everybody – not just according to income,” Wood said and that reimbursements are occurring on time in Radford.
“Federal fiscal year 2019 grants from U.S. DOE should be received by Virginia on schedule this summer,” Dr. James Lane, superintendent of public education at the DoE wrote in an email to Virginia schools last week. “In addition, school divisions are still currently spending previously awarded grants from federal fiscal years 2017 and 2018.”
