Students in six elementary in Greenbrier County will have the opportunity to eat breakfast and lunch at school at no cost. The county is participating in a program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
“Students who are well fed and ready to learn are an integral part of the One Voice, One Focus vision plan,” said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michael Martirano. “Educational improvements in West Virginia schools include providing access to school meals so that all children have a chance to achieve. I am proud that Greenbrier County Schools will be participating in the CEP program and meeting a crucial need for student success in our state.”
Greenbrier County expects to have six schools participate in the CEP. The schools participating this school year are Alderson Elementary, Crichton Elementary, Rainelle Elementary, Ronceverte Elementary, Rupert Elementary, and Smoot Elementary. The program allows the school system to feed nearly 1,400 students each day.
“Greenbrier County Schools continues to expand this unique program throughout the county in order to encourage all children to eat both a healthy breakfast and lunch at school with no cost. We recognize that children need both a nutritious breakfast and lunch in order to achieve at the highest level possible. We are hopeful parents will encourage their children to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity,” said Sallie Dalton, superintendent of Greenbrier County Schools.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released data reporting high levels of food insecurity and hunger across the country. In West Virginia, over 14 percent of residents live in food-insecure households and more than 100,000 children live below the poverty line.
The CEP was enacted as a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and provides universal meal service to children in high poverty areas. This is the fourth year for the option. The CEP is an alternative to collecting, approving and verifying household eligibility applications for free and reduced price eligible students in high poverty Local Education Agencies. If at least 40 percent of a school’s students are directly certified for free meal benefits, the entire school qualifies for the option.
For more information contact Greenbrier County Board of Education.