JACKSONVILLE, Fla.–Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today served breakfast at Beauclerc Elementary School in Jacksonville, Fla., to raise awareness about free school meals in 48 counties affected by Hurricane Irma.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture accepted a request to allow all students in 48 counties subject to a FEMA Major Disaster Declaration access to free school meals through the National School Lunch Program. These changes, in effect through Oct. 20, will potentially impact over 3,000 schools and 2.5 million children. The department is requesting additional flexibilities as counties are being declared major disaster areas and as requests are submitted by counties.
All students in the following counties can access free school meals through the National School Lunch Program from Sept.18–Oct. 20, 2017: Charlotte, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Pinellas, Broward, Palm Beach, Glades, Hendry, Sarasota, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, Brevard, Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Martin, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Polk, St. Lucie, Seminole, Sumter, Volusia, Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy, Nassau, Suwannee and Union.
