Although the growing number of children receiving free and reduced price lunches at school signals increasing levels of need as the nation faces an extended economic crisis, it also indicates that millions of children who may face food insecurity at home have access to meals at school. The number of children receiving free school lunches has increased steadily since the early 1990s, reaching 15.4 million in 2008, up from less than 10 million in 1990.
Source: USDA, January 28, 2009.
|
NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM: PARTICIPATION AND LUNCHES SERVED |
||||||
|
Data as of January 28, 2009 |
||||||
|
|
——-Average Participation——- |
|
Percent |
|||
|
Fiscal |
|
Reduced |
Full |
|
Total Lunches |
Free/RP |
|
Year |
Free |
Price |
Price |
Total |
Served |
of Total |
|
|
———-Millions———- |
% |
||||
|
1969 |
2.9 |
1] |
16.5 |
19.4 |
3,368.2 |
15.1 |
|
1970 |
4.6 |
1] |
17.8 |
22.4 |
3,565.1 |
20.7 |
|
1971 |
5.8 |
0.5 |
17.8 |
24.1 |
3,848.3 |
26.1 |
|
1972 |
7.3 |
0.5 |
16.6 |
24.4 |
3,972.1 |
32.4 |
|
1973 |
8.1 |
0.5 |
16.1 |
24.7 |
4,008.8 |
35.0 |
|
1974 |
8.6 |
0.5 |
15.5 |
24.6 |
3,981.6 |
37.1 |
|
1975 |
9.4 |
0.6 |
14.9 |
24.9 |
4,063.0 |
40.3 |
|
1976 |
10.2 |
0.8 |
14.6 |
25.6 |
4,147.9 |
43.1 |
|
1977 |
10.5 |
1.3 |
14.5 |
26.2 |
4,250.0 |
44.8 |
|
1978 |
10.3 |
1.5 |
14.9 |
26.7 |
4,294.1 |
44.4 |
|
1979 |
10.0 |
1.7 |
15.3 |
27.0 |
4,357.4 |
43.6 |
|
1980 |
10.0 |
1.9 |
14.7 |
26.6 |
4,387.0 |
45.1 |
|
1981 |
10.6 |
1.9 |
13.3 |
25.8 |
4,210.6 |
48.6 |
|
1982 |
9.8 |
1.6 |
11.5 |
22.9 |
3,755.0 |
50.2 |
|
1983 |
10.3 |
1.5 |
11.2 |
23.0 |
3,803.3 |
51.7 |
|
1984 |
10.3 |
1.5 |
11.5 |
23.4 |
3,826.2 |
51.0 |
|
1985 |
9.9 |
1.6 |
12.1 |
23.6 |
3,890.1 |
49.1 |
|
1986 |
10.0 |
1.6 |
12.2 |
23.7 |
3,942.5 |
49.1 |
|
1987 |
10.0 |
1.6 |
12.4 |
23.9 |
3,939.9 |
48.6 |
|
1988 |
9.8 |
1.6 |
12.8 |
24.2 |
4,032.9 |
47.4 |
|
1989 |
9.7 |
1.6 |
12.9 |
24.2 |
4,004.9 |
47.2 |
|
1990 |
9.8 |
1.7 |
12.6 |
24.1 |
4,009.0 |
48.3 |
|
1991 |
10.3 |
1.8 |
12.2 |
24.2 |
4,050.7 |
50.4 |
|
1992 |
11.2 |
1.7 |
11.7 |
24.6 |
4,101.3 |
53.1 |
|
1993 |
11.7 |
1.7 |
11.4 |
24.9 |
4,137.7 |
54.8 |
|
1994 |
12.2 |
1.8 |
11.3 |
25.3 |
4,201.6 |
55.9 |
|
1995 |
12.4 |
1.9 |
11.4 |
25.7 |
4,253.3 |
56.4 |
|
1996 |
12.6 |
2.0 |
11.3 |
25.9 |
4,313.2 |
56.9 |
|
1997 |
12.9 |
2.1 |
11.3 |
26.3 |
4,409.0 |
57.6 |
|
1998 |
13.0 |
2.2 |
11.4 |
26.6 |
4,425.0 |
57.8 |
|
1999 |
13.0 |
2.4 |
11.6 |
27.0 |
4,513.6 |
57.6 |
|
2000 |
13.0 |
2.5 |
11.9 |
27.3 |
4,575.2 |
57.1 |
|
2001 |
12.9 |
2.6 |
12.0 |
27.5 |
4,585.2 |
56.8 |
|
2002 |
13.3 |
2.6 |
12.0 |
28.0 |
4,716.6 |
57.6 |
|
2003 |
13.7 |
2.7 |
11.9 |
28.4 |
4,762.9 |
58.5 |
|
2004 |
14.1 |
2.8 |
12.0 |
29.0 |
4,842.3 |
59.1 |
|
2005 |
14.6 |
2.9 |
12.2 |
29.6 |
4,976.4 |
59.4 |
|
2006 |
14.8 |
2.9 |
12.4 |
30.1 |
5,029.0 |
59.3 |
|
2007 |
14.9 |
3.0 |
12.6 |
30.5 |
5,071.7 |
59.3 |
|
2008 |
15.4 |
3.1 |
12.5 |
31.0 |
5,207.0 |
60.1 |
|
Participation data are 9 month averages (summer months are excluded). |
||||||
Link to data: http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/slsummar.htm