BCPS Looks To Increase Free Meals Program Participation

From BCPS: When Baltimore County families fill out the meal eligibility form this fall, all students who qualify will receive free meals, including those eligible for meals at a reduced-cost. Baltimore County Public Schools is launching Baltimore County Cares for Kids, with the support of Baltimore County Government, to feed more eligible students at all schools and make communities aware of related benefits.

"Baltimore County Cares for Kids allows us to support our working families by removing the financial burden, feed more students, and offer meaningful cost savings on academic resources to more of our families," said Superintendent Verletta White.

Those supplemental benefits include opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach for a family of four earning $46,435 or less annually, from priority admission to free PreKindergarten and free school supplies at every grade level, to fee waivers for the SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement exams, CCBC, college applications, and college athletics. Discounted rates are available for field trips, internet service, and computers.

“Baltimore County Government is proud to support Baltimore County Public Schools in offering more free meals and services,” said County Executive Don Mohler. “Taking care of our youth benefits the entire community, now and into the future.”

In addition to offering free meals for students eligible for reduced-price meals, through Baltimore County Cares for Kids, BCPS staff and leaders work closely with families—including school social workers, pupil personnel workers, and nurses—to emphasize the continued and new benefits, and to encourage families to apply. The eligibility form will be translated into six languages.

Baltimore County Cares for Kids will cost $486,000 in the coming school year. The Maryland Cares for Kids Act, which is legislation signed by Governor Larry Hogan in May 2018, will fully replace county funds with state funds by FY2023.

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