The Yellow Board

The Yellow Board
[ The Yellow Board ]

Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by hello on 4/8/2025, 5:14 pm

I have a travel account through the district to feed students for events. However, I can’t use that account if we don’t leave city limits, like home football games.

I intend to fight for them to change this rule, but if it flops, what are some alternatives?

Do your students have a meal fee? How much, and who collects the money?
Do Boosters fully fund it through fundraising efforts?
Do you let kids just figure it out?
Do parents just donate food/money when needed?

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by Mithrandir on 4/11/2025, 1:13 pm, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

I'm lucky here...I have a travel account and no restrictions on when/where I can use it.
But for all football games our boosters provide meals for the students. Usually it's pretty simple pizza (2 slices per) with a can of soda/water. Our local pizza shop gives us large 1 topping for $5 in exchange for a read over the PA at the game. So in total it's about $2 per student. It's not a big "meal", but I explain to students/parents that it's not meant to replace dinner just hold them over until after the game.

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by Swamplander on 4/10/2025, 9:24 pm, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

My Boosters feed for home games, I feed for away games. They ask for parents to donate meals or to donate menu to alllow them to purchase a meal.

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by Obi Ron Kenobi on 4/10/2025, 11:39 am, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

As part of your argument, I'd include the idea of spending local money locally. The restaurants in your town should be offended by this policy.

My first go-to would be boosters/parents. They could raise money or simply cook/provide the meals themselves.

We have a local church who provided our meals on home games several times.

You might get Lions Club or other civic minded organizations to help you.

Put the word out in public cold-call on Facebook or something. We have an empty nest couple in town who simply likes feeding kids. They totally volunteered to care of meals more than once.

You might get a local restaurant to donate meals but if I owned a restaurant in your town and knew I'd NEVER get any business from you, I doubt I'd help you.

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by Brkt87 on 4/10/2025, 9:08 am, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

For all away events our district provides $10/meal for each student, director, and school employee chaperone. No money is provided for home functions, as most of the time the kids have time to go home to eat before report time. If for some reason a home function is earlier than usual and doesn't leave time for them to go home, then the Boosters will provide a meal for them.

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by 1A on 4/10/2025, 7:33 am, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

We feed the students at all events that are away from the district. If they're five miles down the road at a region band clinic/concert we feed them. If they're at a football game locally they eat before or after the game on their own.

During summer band we use our activity account to purchase items at a grocery store to feed the students such as bread, meat, cheese, nacho chips, bagged chips, etc. Many times parents will donate these items as well if we ask in advance.

I have no active boosters other than a few parents that help out from time to time.

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by Orders on 4/10/2025, 7:21 am, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

We collected payment for the "Home Game Meal Plan" and then ordered food for those who wanted it, otherwise, they would need to bring or provide their own meal.

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by Yes on 4/9/2025, 5:26 pm, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

Kids pay a meal fee that covers all football games and marching contests for the season. I will waive the fee on request if parents want to provide their own meals, but otherwise I assume everyone's on it. It's wrapped into the kids' band fees with their uniforms and everything else. Fees go into our activity fund with fundraiser money and I have to do the district purchase order process to spend it. We budget $10 per meal.

Re: Feeding Kids - Solutions

Posted by Query on 4/9/2025, 3:08 pm, in reply to "Feeding Kids - Solutions"

Can you contract with your cafeteria staff to provide sack lunch/dinners for your kids for home games?

« Back to index

[ The Yellow Board ]