New standards mean savings for some parents in Europe

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Bradley Kasch
  • Det. 9, Air Force News Agency
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNEWS) --  Mission support groups all across Europe are rolling out the good news for military families stationed there: they will see greater eligibility for the free or reduced lunch program at Department of Defense Schools. That means savings across the board for anyone who is eligible.

Lunch time at school may not mean much to children in terms of a family's monthly budget, but that $2.50 lunch they eat can add up. As much as $12 per child per week can be a financial strain on a large family. Relief, however, comes in the form of the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. This program brings the cost of lunch down to 40 cents or possibly free, depending on income and number of family members.

Audrey Burkel, 52nd Mission Support Squadron school liaison here, said the program now compares income levels in Europe to the rates in Alaska, which means people who were once eligible for reduced lunch prices may be eligible for free lunches, and more families qualify to take advantage of the reduced lunch prices. The program is offered to servicemembers of any rank, and currently involves members from one-stripers to majors.

Master Sgt. Lindsay Montgomery, 52nd Mission Support Group and a member of the reduced lunch program as a father of five, lauds the help.

"It's awesome," he said. It isn't welfare or anything derogatory. It is a service provided to those who serve our country."

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