Lauren Davis, Reporter
The Granbury Independent School District (GISD) will launch its Summer 2024 Lunch Program, a significant initiative to provide free, nutritious meals to Granbury Independent School District students during the summer. The program is designed to support families and ensure children continue to receive essential nutrition when school is out.
The Summer Lunch Program provides free meals to all children under the age of 18. Additionally, high school students between the ages of 18 and 21 who are identified as mentally or physically disabled by the Special Education Program are also eligible for free meals. The program will run Monday through Thursday from June 3 to 27 and July 8 to 18. Parents can collect meals for their children at designated locations after verification.
Acceptable forms of validation are:
- Student ID Badge
- Student report card
- Birth certificate
- Skyward Family Access Attendance Record
“The menus are based on the Texas Department of Agriculture dietary pattern requirements and foods provided by manufacturers,” explains Amy Whiteley, GISD’s Director of Child Nutrition, which ensures that all meals are balanced, nutritious and meet the dietary needs of growing children.
“Texas law requires that public school districts in which 50 percent or more of their enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must offer a summer lunch program,” Whiteley said. “GISD falls under this mandate because just over 50 percent of its students qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year.”
“Providing free, healthy school meals to all students is essential to combating child hunger and food insecurity. Universal school meals enhance learning, academic achievement, and social cohesion, and create more inclusive school environments,” explains Dr. Janet Poppendick, Urban School Food Alliance Advisory Board Member.
GISD’s 2024 Summer Lunch Program is more than just a meal service — it’s a lifeline for many Hood County families, ensuring their children have the nutrition they need to thrive. By participating in this program, GISD is committed to supporting the health and well-being of its students and helping them grow into healthy, active and successful individuals.
For more information about the program, including venue locations, meal pick-up times, and meals provided, please visit the SSO Site Menu – Google Docs (edl.io) on the GISD website.
