(CNN) A cash-strapped school district in Pennsylvania's coal country has reversed course on its controversial approach to settling the lunch debt of several students.

The Wyoming Valley West School District issued an online apology Wednesday for sending letters to parents earlier this month that threatened to put children in foster care if lunch money debts were not paid. Not only did the school board sincerely apologize "for the tone of the letter," it also decided to accept the "generous offer" of a benefactor who offered to pay the school lunch debts, the apology note stated.

At the same time, the school district announced that it now qualifies for the Community Eligibility Provision, a USDA Food and Nutrition Service program

"As a result, all students of the Wyoming Valley West School District will receive free breakfast and lunch in all of our schools for the next five years regardless of income," according to the Wyoming Valley West School Board.

The program "allows the nation's highest poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications," according to the agency's website.

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