New School Meal Program in Odesa
Starting in 2023, students from grades 1-4 and 5-11 in Odesa receive hot meals funded by the city budget, but only those from low-income families.
During wartime, children spend 3.5 hours at school. Therefore, if a child studies in the first shift, they receive breakfast worth 55 UAH, and if in the second, they get lunch costing 80 UAH.
In October, Odesa received a state subsidy to provide meals for all students in grades 1-4 until the end of the year.
According to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine the subsidy covers 70% of the meal costs for students in grades 1-4. An additional 30% (15 million UAH) from the city budget was approved during an extraordinary session of the Odesa City Council on October 25.
Thus, after the bidding process, all students in grades 1-4 will receive either breakfast or lunch until the end of 2024, depending on their school shift.
Students in grades 5-11 who belong to low-income categories, including children of combatants (included by a separate decision of the OMR session), will continue to receive breakfast or lunch funded by the Odesa city budget.