The U.S. Department of Agriculture will extend several flexibilities that allow summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children through as late as Dec. 31, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced recently.

“We are very happy to announce that starting next week, all meals will be free of charge to children 18 and under,” said Hannah Carroll, director of Child Nutrition Services for Lompoc Unified School District (LUSD).

Meals will be served 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This coming week, due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday, Sept. 7, food distribution will take place 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Students may continue to pick up meals at any school site. Adults may pick up meals, but will be asked to provide proof of enrollment, such as student name/school or LUSD Student ID number. LUSD will continue to collect and process free/reduced meal applications in preparation for student meal status to resume after Dec. 31.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made the critical role that school meal programs play in ensuring that students are not going hungry. This is a win for LUSD students. Providing our students access to quality food has and will continue to be a priority for us,” said LUSD Superintendent Trevor McDonald.