33 schools in Calcasieu Parish offer free meals to its students
CALCASIEU PARISH, LA (KPLC) - As a working mom, Tyffani Granger believes the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP program, is a huge relief.
"I have kids involved in football, in gymnastics, in scouts. So we're busy, out every night of the week. So it's nice to know they'll be getting a fresh hot meal," Granger said.
She said a full stomach helps kids stay focused in class.
"Especially little ones. They need that energy to fuel to keep them going, and if they don't they just crash and they don't learn," Granger said.
A school that gets free lunch means more than 40% of kids at a school:
- uses the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
- is in foster care.
- uses Head Start or Temporary Assistance of Needy Families.
- is a homeless, migrant or runaway student.
- and uses Food Distribution Program on Indian Reserves.
"That means that these students that are identified would have qualified for free meals without the use of household applications," Jacqueline Richard, Nutrition Program director, said.
A school where more than 40% of its student body meets any of the listed requirements, every child at the school gets a free breakfast and lunch. Students who attend any of the 33 schools offering CEP don't need to provide any paperwork to get free meals during the school day.
Richard said they're reimbursed for the free and reduced lunches they provide with federal funds.
"Depending on whether the student is free, reduced or paid, depends on the amount of federal funds we receive," Richard said. "No, it's not necessarily coming out of the school nutrition school budget, it's coming from federal funds that go into the school nutrition school budget."
If your child goes to a school that doesn't offer CEP, the Calcasieu Parish School Board said each school sends home a form that you can fill out and either bring to their office, or back to your child's school. You can apply online at the Calcasieu Parish School Board's website.
Richard said the school board has a yearly income eligibility requirement that parents have to meet in order to get free or reduced meals for their child.
"Provided that we get the appropriate information from the household, any students at any of our schools could qualify for free or reduced meals," Richard said.
"Kids can't learn if their basic needs aren't met, and if they're hungry, they're not going to be able to learn," Granger said.
While the school year starts Tuesday, parents can apply for free or reduced meals at any time of the year.
Here's a list of the schools who has CEP:
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