A free breakfast and lunch is available every school day to every student enrolled in Plumas Unified School District and Plumas Charter School, reports Tracy Darue, nutrition services supervisor for PUSD. No sign up or application is required.
“Studies show that kids that eat breakfast perform better in class and on tests,” said Darue.
PUSD will continue to implement the Community Eligibility Provision for the 2024-2025 school year, said Darue. The CEP, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, is a nonpricing meal service option for schools and school districts in low-income areas.
CEP allows schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, according to the USDA.
Information provided by Plumas Unified School District with additional reporting by Ingrid Burke
