According to a new study, rural children are less likely to take part in school lunch programs than their urban counterparts. As reported by The Daily Yonder, school-aged children in rural areas are 8 percent less likely to participate in the federal nutrition program, even though they qualify at the same rates as urban children.
Though the study did not detail a cause for the discrepancy, one expert suggested that a stigma may exist in rural areas concerning government assistance. Research suggests children who participate in the program are more likely to have their nutritional needs met.
The school lunch program provides free or reduced lunches to children whose parents make less than 185 percent of the poverty rate. In 2013, that figure translated to a yearly salary of around $45 thousand a year.