Free Lunches For Florida Kids After Hurricane Irma

TALLAHASSEE, FL — As children in many counties across Florida return to classes following Hurricane Irma’s devastating run across the state last week, they’ll be greeted with free meals courtesy of the National School Lunch Program.

Adam Putnam, Florida’s commissioner of agriculture, announced the temporary financial reprieve for families across 48 counties Monday morning. The news came as many school districts across the state began operating on their normal schedules once more. (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Tampa Patch. Click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

According to Putnam, the temporary suspension of paid lunches affects “all students in 48 counties subject to a FEMA Major Disaster Declaration.” The waiver of lunch fees is in effect for those counties from Sept. 18 through Oct. 20. State officials say it covers an estimated 3,000 schools and includes more than 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,” a statement from Putnam’s office said. Considering that, more counties may be added to the list in the coming days.

Watch: Hurricane Irma's Destructive Journey By The Numbers

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At present, students in the following counties in kindergarten through the 12th grade will receive free lunches: 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.

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