Martin County Schools reports small surplus for summer feeding program

Barber, a Martin County Schools staff member, told the board the district’s summer feeding program ran for 23 days in 2024 and served 2,978 breakfasts and 3,822 lunches to students enrolled in district learning programs and to children in private community camps.

"During those 23 days, I do wanna make it very clear to the board that every day that a Martin County schools learning... our summer retesting was in session," Barber said, explaining that the meals supported students taking credit-recovery and learning programs and that there were no walk-in students in the rural district.

Barber broke out costs and revenues: $6,561.52 in food costs (including milk and distributor purchases), $17,499.64 in labor costs, for a total operating cost of $24,061.16 (not including USDA commodities). Reimbursements from meal claims totaled $25,182.51, leaving what Barber described as a $1,121.35 surplus.

Barber said the district intentionally operated eight fewer days than in prior years to align service days with district learning programs and private camps that receive private funding. "So what we really did with this summer feeding plan was we maximized our meals while minimizing the financial... the financial cost of that summer feeding program," he said.

Board members asked no follow-up policy questions in the public record at the meeting. Barber said he would answer any questions the board had about the report.

The report provided operational figures (days served, meals counted, cost and reimbursement totals) and explained that USDA commodity value was treated separately from the district’s cash costs. The presentation did not propose an immediate policy change; it was offered as a report to the board.