Free Lunch Program Could End in Verona Schools

Free or discounted lunches provided to students of Verona families in need could be on the verge of drying up due to the economy's anemic recovery.

For more than 20 years, students in Verona schools whose families have faced economic or other difficulties have been provided with free or discounted school lunches by The Children's Fund, a grass-roots Verona-based non-profit started and funded by concerned local residents, officials and organizations.

With the economy still crawling its way back after the downturn, donations to the Fund have slowed, forcing it to reduce its offerings to local families in need, and putting the free lunch program on the chopping block.

"As with all non-profits, funding is down due to the economic times. I periodically have to explain to newcomers that there are people in Verona who need assistance from time to time due to unexpected difficulties, such as illness, unemployment, death or divorce," Connie Pifher, Verona's Health and Social Services Coordinator, said in an email.

People involved with the fund say some residents don't realize that even in an affluent suburb like Verona, many families live one paycheck away from disaster.

"There isn't a lot of assistance out there for the working poor, and it carries a large stigma in an area which is considered affluent. Many of the families were doing just fine until tragedy struck. They hate to ask for help and many times wait until their needs become dire," she said.

At a meeting on Monday, Nov. 28, the Verona Board of Education announced that funding for the free lunch program will cease on Jan. 1.

With the fund shrinking, the Board faces a difficult choice: continue funding the program from the district's coffers at a time where costly maintenance projects have sprung up and the district's existing lunch program is hemmorhaging money, or let the program die.

The Board said the first step will be to conduct an audit of the approximately 20 families in the township receiving free or discounted lunches in order to determine if they meet the requirements.

"It's calculated by the number of dependents, as well as income level. We'll verify means to see if people are eligible," said Verona Board of Education Vice President, Joseph Bellino.

"Some of the families who are currently receiving it may not actually qualify."

Under the National Lunch Program, which Verona is not a part of, the federal government reimburses districts for subsidized lunches. However, the board said adopting the program comes with several pitfalls. It requires detailed reporting of students in the district who qualify. It also prohibits meals served outside the program, which would effectively put an end to fundraising efforts by the district's School Community Associations, which sponsor monthly special lunches in the elementary schools to raise money.

Bellino said the current free lunch program costs approximately $1,000 per month, and that following the audit, the district will decide whether to continue funding the program through the end of the school year, either in part or in whole.

"After we do the audit we'll know what kind of pill we may have to swallow in January," he said.

However, in the midst of a season known for miracles, a home-grown solution is still possible.

Pifher said she would gladly resurrect the program if the funds were to materialize.

"The parents depended on it. It was one less thing for them to have to worry about--their child receiving a meal mid-day."

She said any residents who might be interested in donating to continue the program can contact her at the Community Center, or by email at cpifher@veronanj.org.