Free and Reduced Lunches

I would like to follow up Friday's Sentinel story about the Free and Reduced Lunch program by commenting on what a good thing it is.

It seems like many leads in many publications lately go as follows "With the economy plummeting..." or "With more families tightening their budgets...." Our economy has become big news, affecting everything from business closings to entertainment venues to feeding kids at school.

But in this instance, a program was in place before the economy started tumbling. Free and reduced lunches are just an application away for many families, and according to the numbers, many more families are taking advantage of them.

It has been proven that hungry students do not succeed in school. Studies show poor attention span, incomplete homework, and failing grades are common side effects of hunger.

I sincerely hope that anyone qualifying for the program take advantage of the nutritionally balanced, hot meals available to the students at a reduced cost. It doesn't hurt the district, as they are compensated for the cost difference; it only helps the child.