From the Desk of Raleigh County Child Nutrition Director

RALEIGH COUNTY SCHOOLS PROVIDE MEALS TO ALL STUDENTS AT NO COST

Beckley, W.Va. - Through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, students in Raleigh County can receive free breakfast and lunch at school. The CEP was enacted as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, providing universal meal service to children in high-poverty areas. Raleigh County Schools has offered ALL elementary students free meals for the past ten years and has elected to extend to ALL students in the school year 2024-2025.

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 (LEAs). The entire school qualifies if at least 25 percent of its student population is directly certified for free meal benefits.

“I am proud that Raleigh County Schools will be participating in the CEP program as a full county to help meet a crucial need for many students in our county,” said Dr. Serena Starcher, Superintendent of Raleigh County Schools. “We know academic achievement increases when our students are well-fed and ready to learn, and we must provide secure and reliable access to nutritious meals so all students can achieve at the highest level possible.”

Raleigh County expects to have ALL 26 schools participate in the CEP in the school year 2024-2025. The program allows the school system to feed nearly 10,000 students each day. With this change, NO parent or guardian must apply for free/reduced meals!

The 2017 Feeding America: Map the Meal Gap data reports high food insecurity and hunger nationwide. In West Virginia, more than 14 percent of residents and over 79,000 children live in food-insecure households.

For more information, contact ……. Raleigh County Child Nutrition Office (304)256-4660

Raleigh County Schools is an Equal Opportunity Provider!

Raleigh County School District's Wellness Assessment Scorecard

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