End Of Free School Lunches Courtesy Hurricane Irma

MIAMI, FL — The free lunches that Miami-Dade schools have been serving up to all students courtesy of Hurricane Irma came to an end on Friday. That means all students should once again bring lunch or be prepared to pay for one starting on Monday Oct. 23. unless they qualify for the free or reduced lunch program.

"As a result of the impact of Hurricane Irma, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services granted a waiver to Miami-Dade County Public Schools that allowed the district to serve lunch at no charge to all the students from Sept. 18, through Oct. 20, 2017," school officials said.

The waiver expires on Friday, however, students who have been certified to receive free meals for the 2017-18 school year will continue to receive lunch at no cost throughout the school year.

Families who meet the requirements for free or reduced-price meals and have not submitted a 2017-2018 application should do so at https://freeandreducedmealapp.dadeschools.net.

"Starting on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, only students with a 2017-2018 certification for free meal benefits will be eligible to receive free lunch," district officials explained. "Lunch charges will resume at 40 cents for students approved for reduced-price meals and $2.25 for elementary students or $2.50 for secondary students who pay full price."

Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc in South Florida on Sept. 10. Photo by Paul Scicchitano