Henry County board approves $1.1 million for summer meal-kit program after nearly 3,000 sign-ups

Henry County School Board approved an additional appropriation of $1,100,000 to the school nutrition budget to support a summer meal-kit program that will mail weekly meal kits to children across the county.

School nutrition staff told trustees they had nearly 2,975 children registered to receive meal kits, and described a partnership with the PepsiCo Foundation Food for Good to mail the kits directly to homes beginning the week of May 2026. Staff said the appropriation would place the funds on the books to cover program costs and that the district will be reimbursed through federal reimbursements; the board approved forwarding the appropriation to the Board of Supervisors for final appropriation.

Board members asked whether the program served all Henry County residents aged 1–18, including homeschooled or private-school students; staff confirmed eligibility is residency-based and includes children who reside in Henry County regardless of school enrollment. Members also raised logistics for children without stable home addresses (for example, students in hotels or other temporary housing); staff described processes they said they would use to validate addresses, coordinate deliveries to alternate residences, or arrange pickup through school sites or other community partners.

Staff said each kit costs about $57 and estimated the program would net a small amount per kit (about $4) based on reimbursements; with the requested appropriation, staff estimated program revenue could cover costs and possibly yield additional funds for a future bonus to school nutrition employees.

The board approved the appropriation by unanimous vote and directed staff to finalize delivery logistics and to report on reimbursements as the program proceeds.