Demand for school meals in Wisconsin drops during pandemic CHRIS RICKERT, Wisconsin State Journal April 23, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Demand for school meals plummeted in Wisconsin during the pandemic — even though federal waivers and funding meant that in the vast majority of cases they were free to any student, and even as many districts sought to distribute them curbside or via delivery while classrooms were closed to in-person learning. Now, Wisconsin is using federal coronavirus relief funds to continue a program that provides food-stamp-like credits to low-income families to cover the cost of school meals retroactively to the beginning of this school year — effectively doubling food benefits for families in districts that have continued to make meals available during online school.