A federally-funded universal free lunch program is being introduced this year in the public schools in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The Springfield Public Schools will receive $15.4 million to provide lunch daily at no charge to any student who wants it. Springfield Superintendent of Schools Dan Warwick said the quality of the school lunches will improve with more vegetables and fruits on the menu.
" So we have improved the entire program and that is why the participation rate has gone up. Making it free for everyone makes sense, so I think the participation will go up even more."
Springfield, which has 27,000 students, is one of ten high-poverty school districts in Massachusetts eligible for the federal program.
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