MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Colquitt County School Nutrition Department has participated in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for Free Meal Reimbursement since beginning implementation in School Year 2015.  Through CEP, a school district, a group of schools or a single school may offer meals at no charge to all students. This eliminates the procedure of distributing and processing meal applications.

“Colquitt County School Nutrition will continue with the CEP program, providing meals at no charge to all students, during SY19-20. We are submitting this public statement as a method to inform parents and the community of continued participation. One that has proven most helpful and successful for students and parents,” said Monika W. Griner, school nutrition director.

The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 includes the implementation of CEP to insure that every student in low-income neighborhoods and/or districts can participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). To qualify, a district or school must have 40 percent or more of its students eligible for free meals based on direct certification.

By participating in CEP and eliminating the need for meal applications, Colquitt County School Nutrition reduces administrative and printing costs. Families also benefit from the elimination of completing and submitting meal applications.  

All schools in the county except Colquitt County High School participated in a pilot for the CEP in 2013-14, and it has been available to all of the county’s public schools since 2014-2015.