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Brown Deer board approves free lunches for November–December and launches district food pantry
Summary
Board approved a temporary policy to eliminate lunch costs for all students from Nov. 1 to Dec. 19, citing SNAP benefit disruptions; administration estimated roughly 10,850 meals and about $32,550 in cost, and the district will host a community food pantry beginning the week of Nov. 13.
The Brown Deer School District board voted to eliminate student lunch charges for the period Nov. 1–Dec. 19, 2025, and administrators described a new, district-hosted food pantry to support families affected by recent SNAP benefit interruptions.
Administration explained the pantry will be located in a concession stand at the district facility and will serve students and any village residents in need. The first distribution was scheduled for Thursday the 13th from 4:30–6 p.m. "The Brown Deer food pantry will not only serve our school community, but anyone in the village that may be in need of food assistance," Dr. Khan said, describing volunteer support and a community food drive that preceded the pantry’s opening.
To temporarily remove lunch costs for all students, the administration requested use of Fund 10. Finance staff gave an estimate: about 10,850 meals over the period and a total cost of roughly $32,550 based on 350 paid meals per day across the service window. "I took October's paid meals and divided them by 21 days that they serve the meals together, 350 per day, and then multiplied that by 31 days to get our 32,550 for the total cost of those meals," Paul said as he explained the calculation.
Board members asked clarifying questions about whether the district would reimburse families who already paid for November meals and how reduced-price or free-meal categorizations would be handled. Finance staff explained paid-meal costs could be covered from Fund 10 but said certain state rules limit using some funds to pay for paid meals; staff noted reduced-price categories and federal reporting constraints.
A motion to provide free lunches for all students from Nov. 1 through Dec. 19 was made, seconded and approved in a unanimous vote. Board members also discussed outreach and logistical planning, including distribution procedures and how the pantry and the temporary lunch coverage would be communicated to families.
The board recorded no separate amendments; staff will proceed with implementation and financial processing, and will answer follow-up operational questions about reimbursements and category-specific accounting.
