When students return to Lava Ridge Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, next week after winter break, everyone will be able to get free breakfast and lunch, regardless of whether their families have applied.
That’s because Bend-La Pine schools are taking advantage of new federal guidance that increases the eligibility of schools to offer free meals to students. Starting on Jan. 2, 12 new Bend-La Pine schools, including Lava Ridge, will be able to offer free breakfast and lunch for students. That means 22 of the district’s 33 schools will now offer free meals, up from 10 schools before the break.
