State program to help feed local students

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Granville High School

By Krystle S. Morey

For the next four years, students of Granville Central School District will eat breakfast and lunch for free.

The free meals will be provided to all of Granville’s nearly 1,100 students, pre-K through 12, regardless of income, as part of the State Education Department’s Child Nutrition Program’s Community Eligibility Provision.

“Free breakfast and lunch for all students … it’s enormous,” said school superintendent Thomas McGurl of the program.

“No child is going to go hungry in the Granville school district for any reason,” said Cathy Somich, business manager.

The savings per child, just for lunches per year for local families, is $495.

“That will help all of the families,” Somich said. “As of September, you don’t have to send lunch money.”

The school district is reimbursed by the state for the meals served.

The Community Eligibility Provision is part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. It was made available to all schools, nationwide, that year and is currently operating in all 50 states.

Eligibility is based on the number of students enrolled in need-based programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. This is the first year Granville has met the required percentage of students.

 

This is only a preview of the story published in the Granville Sentinel. To read the full story, pick up a print copy of this week’s paper at the newsstand or read it online here.