Seniors in the Mooresville Graded School District with outstanding debts are relieved from payment because Williamson’s Chapel United Methodist Church settles their fees that were accumulating from school meal charges. The church money donated to the school was reportedly raised during the season of Lent.

Williamson’s Chapel United Methodist Church’s Donation

Kevin Ward, who serves as the director of youth, young adults, and missions at Williamson Chapel, stated that they know that a significant portion of this financial obligation held by the students was not their fault. The institution is also mindful that some of these loans result from errors and poor choices made by individuals. Recently, Queen City News reported that Williamson’s Chapel United Methodist Church donated $27,359 to repay any outstanding debts that may have been incurred by graduating seniors during their time at MGSD. Moreover, since the donated money was greater than the total debt owed by the senior class, the excess cash was used to pay the unpaid lunch charges incurred by the junior class.

As per MSN, MGSD Superintendent Jason Gardner mentioned that their school district appreciates the significance of local groups’ role in assisting them in achieving their objective of providing their children with an outstanding education and numerous opportunities. He also said that due to the discontinued universal free lunches provided during COVID, they had to start charging for lunch more frequently this past year. “Receiving nutritious meals should never be a worry for our students,” Gardner asserted.

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School Meal Fees

CBS News reported that due to the end of school aid connected to the pandemic and the dramatic rise in the price of food, schools and families are being put under additional financial strain in the area of school meals. According to the most recent findings from the Consumer Price Index, there has been a significant yearly spike in food prices in elementary and secondary schools: 305% for families from one year ago for what is often the healthiest lunch children enjoy. Since last year, the price of eggs has increased by about 60%; the cost of bread and lunch meats has increased by more than 15%; the cost of milk and cheese has increased by more than 12%. 

As mentioned, School Nutrition Association stated that this school year, the average breakfast price at an elementary school is $1.73, the median price of breakfast at a middle school is $1.75, and the median price at a high school is $1.80. The cost of lunch has increased from pre-pandemic levels, with elementary schools charging $2.75 and middle and high schools charging $3. The costs can soon increase, reaching more than $67 per week for a family with three children in the school-aged range. 

In addition, these meals have been reportedly free for the past few years due to federal waivers that have made breakfast and lunch free for all students regardless of their family’s financial situation. However, these exemptions were terminated after the preceding academic year, and the prices of school meals in most states returned to the prices determined by individual districts unless kids qualified for free or reduced-price meals based on their family’s income. According to data from the federal government, before the epidemic, approximately 22 million pupils were eligible for free or reduced-price lunches daily.

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