Throughout the rest of the month, the Chandler Unified School District will be offering free weekend lunch service to all children — and the program may be extended beyond that.

The service is open to children up to age 18, and no ID or eligibility documentation is required.

The program was started at the beginning of the month as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits lapsed during the federal government shutdown. SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families.

“It initially started because district departments like food and nutrition, counseling and social services, Title 1 sites, received calls, emails, questions from families concerned about their free and reduced meal benefit ending due to the halt in SNAP benefits. We heard questions like ‘will my child still get b

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