Webutuck District’s free and reduced lunch program benefits students and families

AMENIA — During Webutuck’s Board of Education meeting on Monday, Oct. 7, board members detailed the fiscal challenges of feeding students.

“The cafeteria fund and our school lunch program has really always ran into deficit,” Webutuck School Business Administrator Robert Farrier said. “Schools that generally are in the positive have a much more robust a la carte, where students are able to buy more things above their normal lunch. We don’t have that here.”

Webutuck follows the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, giving the district serving sizes, calorie count and nutritional guidelines to follow. The law also mandates that the student must select a fruit or vegetable to go with their meal, or the student must pay for each item on their tray. Milk is the drink provided in the nutritional guidelines, and can not be replaced with another drink the student prefers. However, they may purchase another drink if desired.

“Once we went to the free and reduced, where all students get free lunch and breakfast, it has helped our lunch program,” Farrier said. “We generally send $150,000 from the general fund to the cafeteria fund. We did that, and we probably didn’t need to send as much as we did, but we are starting to get to a point where we’re going to break even. Our goal is to keep building up the lunch program.”

Breakfast and lunch are served every day for free when students provide their assigned ID numbers and have filled out an economic survey for the school year. Snacks and a la carte items from the cafeteria are not included in the lunch program, and the student must have money in their account or with them to purchase those kinds of food.

“I know no one likes to have rising prices, but, you know, our food costs have gone up through the roof,” Farrier said. “Orange juice has tripled in price from the start of school. We don’t increase prices throughout the year, we just go with the flow.”

According to Feeding America, in 2018 the child food insecure population in Dutchess County was 8,050, which is about 14.1%. Nearly one in six children in the United States faced food insecurity in 2021, and currently 58% of New York state’s population is below the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threshold.

“Our ultimate goal is to feed as many students,” said Farrier. “We don’t want them to go home hungry.”

Latest News

Amenia board honors employees for service

Long-term town employees were recognized at the Town Board meeting on Thursday, June 12. Honorees pictured with Town Supervisor Leo Blackman, were Judy Carlson, Office Manager at the Town Garage, center, for her 35 years of service to the town and Megan Chamberlin, current Highway Superintendent, for 20 years.

Leila Hawken

AMENIA — Acknowledging the many years of service accumulated by town employees, the Town Board paused to honor that service at its meeting on Thursday, June 12.

“Thank you for making a difference,” said Town Supervisor Leo Blackman in recognizing Judy Carlson, Office Manager at the town garage, for her 35 years of service.

Keep ReadingShow less
Historic marker dedicated at Amenia Union Cemetery

In anticipation of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution in 2026, new historic markers are appearing at each of the local cemeteries where Revolutionary War veterans are buried. Unveiling the new marker at Amenia Union Cemetery on Saturday, June 21, were left to right, Town Historian Betsy Strauss, Jim Middlebrook representing the regional chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and Gail Seymour, President of the Union Cemetery Association.

Photo by Leila Hawken

AMENIA — One by one, new historic markers are appearing at local cemeteries where Revolutionary War dead are buried. On Saturday, June 21, community members gathered to see a new marker unveiled at Amenia Union Cemetery on Leedsville Road.

A tent provided welcome shade for the attendees and refreshments as about 30 residents gathered for the unveiling and to share stories of local history with one another.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millerton Street Fair celebration June 28

Bee Bee the clown, face painters and a community wide scavenger hunt are among the activities planned for the Millerton Street Fair in Downtown Millerton on Saturday, June 28.

Photo by Aly Morrissey

MILLERTON — The Millerton News, in partnership with the North East Community Center (NECC) and the Millerton Business Alliance, is hosting its first Street Fair on Saturday in a celebration of the town.

Rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, the fair will bring together local nonprofits and businesses, with live music, entertainment, kids’ activities, local eats, and family fun in Veterans Park, in front of the Millerton Inn, and beyond.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millbrook Historical Society announces summer Quaker lecture series

The Nine Partners Road Quaker Meetinghouse, built in 1780, will be the site of two summer lectures sponsored by the Millbrook Historical Society.

Photo by Leila Hawken

MILLBROOK — Long in the planning, the Millbrook Historical Society has announced that it is sponsoring two lectures in observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Both lectures relating to Quaker history are to be held in the historic Quaker Meeting House on Nine Partners Road.

For the first talk, scheduled for Sunday, June 29, at 2 p.m., the historical society has invited Sarah Gronningsater, Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, to talk on “Quakers, Anti-slavery, and the American Revolution.” The topic will explore the role that New York’s Quakers, especially in the Hudson Valley, played in the rise of the anti-slavery movement that followed the American Revolution.

Keep ReadingShow less