During Monday’s meeting of the Osceola Board of County Commissioners, the board directed approximately $80,000 in CARES Act reimbursement funding for food insecurity support to families with students in the School District of Osceola County’s Families In Transition Program.
As the impact of COVID-19 continues, the goal of the board’s directive is to make access to groceries easier for the 1,584 school-age children currently registered in the Families in Transition Program during the Winter Break period from school, providing a $50 gift card per student.
“Kids should never have to worry about being able to have regular meals, especially during the holidays. The board has pledged to fight food insecurity as we continue to deal with COVID-19, and I am thankful we can work with the School District to get help to these families for the holiday break,” said Osceola Chairman Brandon Arrington.
The suggestion to offer assistance to the Families in Transition was voiced by Vice Chairwoman Viviana Janer during the Board’s closing comments during Monday’s Osceola Commission meeting.
“After visiting one of our elementary schools, the school officials expressed their concerns for Families In Transition dealing with increased food insecurity during the two week school break,” said Janer. “This is not something the Board can always do, but this year we have access to CARES Act reimbursement funds and I am pleased we can provide dollars to these families and ease one burden around Christmas.”
According to the School District, the Families in Transition program is in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; reauthorized as Title IX of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in July 2016. This legislation requires that all children, including preschool age, experiencing homelessness have the same rights to a free and appropriate public education as housed children. Homeless children include those who lack a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence, including those living in hotels and motels.
