I’ve been waiting for this predictable story. The News & Observer reports that school nutrition officials are upset at what they view as not enough money to feed kids — a growing number of them due to the struggling economy — who qualify for free or reduced lunch at school. Common sense tells me they’re correct that, right now, more families need help, which is why many of us are making special efforts to step up our donations to church pantries and food banks.
What is a real shame — a shame for the families who are really in need right now — is that this story contains not one word about fraud in the F&R program. Not one word. I recommend the reporter and the officials read David Bass’ reports on what can only be called pervasive fraud in the program. (emphasis is mine):
A majority of sampled applicants enrolled in the free and reduced-price lunch program in North Carolina can’t prove eligibility to participate, according to verification summaries from the state’s 115 school districts.
An analysis of the summaries showed that 54 percent of a sample pool of applicants could not or would not provide income proof to justify their meal benefits. The entitlement, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at an annual cost of $8 billion, is meant for families at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. But the summaries suggest that many ineligible families still participate.
Instead of endorsing audits to remove people who are gaming the system and thereby freeing up money for those who are truly in need — or reducing the program budget — the officials make the same old plea for more money (again, emphasis is mine).
Hoggard and others who work in child nutrition want to see reforms, including elimination of the reduced-price category, so that every student below a certain income level receives free meals. They dream of a universal free lunch program, in which no student must pay, regardless of income. The health benefits would outweigh the costs of the program, they contend.
Absolutely, let’s assist our neighbors who need a helping hand – not just during an economic downturn, but all the time. That does not require government to step in further. It requires each of us to be compassionate. When we combine this effort with one to rid the F&R program of fraud, we will have taken giant steps forward.
