Copyright M Live Michigan
CARROLLTON TWP, MI — Carrollton Public Schools will expand its free after-school dinner program to two additional locations beginning Monday, Nov. 3, providing more students with access to meals at no cost. The district’s nutrition services department will add new supper sites at Omni High School and the J.B. Griffin Early Childhood Education building, according to school officials. Students at Carrollton middle and high schools already participate in the program. The announcement arrived as officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it can’t issue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November because of the ongoing government shutdown. Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nation’s biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. That also brings uncertainty about how things will unfold and will delay payments for many beneficiaries whose cards would normally be recharged early in the month. Carrollton Public Schools Superintendent Tiffany Peterson said her district’s food program expansion “comes at a time when families are feeling stretched. “By expanding after-school dinner options, we’re helping more families navigate through uncertain times,” she said in a statement. The meals are provided through the federally funded At-Risk After School Supper Program, which aims to support student nutrition and academic success beyond regular school hours. Each meal typically includes an entrée, fruit, vegetable, and milk. “Our nutrition services team is proud to serve students well beyond the school day,” Jackie Coffey, the school district’s nutrition services director, said in a statement. “These dinners give students the energy they need to participate in after-school programs, sports, and homework — and help ensure that no child goes home hungry.” Location and schedule details are available for students currently enrolled in Carrollton Public Schools.
