Baldwinsville students to receive free lunch, breakfast starting in January

The Baldwinsville Central School District Food Service Program is pleased to announce that every enrolled student in the district will be eligible to receive a free breakfast and a free lunch meal every school day effective Tuesday, January 2, 2024. 

The United States Department of Agriculture expanded access to the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) grant program, which allows eligible schools participation in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to offer school meals at no charge to all students. The district previously did not qualify for the grant program.

When we return from our holiday break, EVERY STUDENT ENROLLED IN THE DISTRICT will receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day regardless of the family’s household income. Milk is free with a full meal. This program is for students ONLY.

“Participation in the CEP grant program will ensure that all our students never leave school without a meal,” said BCSD School Lunch Director Donna Rice. “It is crucial to a student's health and their overall well-being to have school breakfast and lunch daily.”

Research shows that receiving free school lunches reduces food insecurity, obesity rates and poor health, Rice noted. 

Per CEP guidelines, for a meal to be free, students must take the minimum required components of a “complete meal” when in the cafeteria line. This means they must take at least three of the following items: meat, meat alternate, fruit, vegetable, bread grain or milk/juice. Additionally, one of the three items taken must be a fruit or vegetable. Monthly meal calendars are available on our website’s Food Services page. 

The free breakfast and lunch will be added to every student’s meal account each day. Once those meals (one breakfast and one lunch per day) have been claimed, students have the ability to purchase additional items. Purchasing just milk will cost 85 cents. All full second meals will cost $3.75. A la carte items and snacks will also be available for purchase.

For more information, or if you have any questions, please contact the Food Service Department at 315-638-6038.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the CEP Program?

A: The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is an alternative way to serve universal free breakfast and lunch to all students in schools. It is part of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program. BCSD participates in this program each year.
 

Q: Why is the Baldwinsville Central School District now able to participate in the CEP Program?

A: Our district is now eligible due to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expanding access to the program. Previously, in order to qualify a district must collectively have an Identified Student Percentage of 40 percent or higher who are certified for free meals by any means other than the submission of individual paper applications, such as SNAP and Medicaid. This requirement was reduced from 40 to 25 percent. 
 

Q: What are the advantages of participation?

A: In addition to all students receiving free breakfast and lunch, participation will remove the stigma that can be associated with being eligible for free and reduced meals as well as improve nutrition to students at risk. In addition, many working families on the cusp of receiving free and reduced meals will no longer have to worry about paying for their child(ren)’s school meals.
 

Q: What impact does this program have on school taxes?

A: There is no impact on school taxes. The BCSD Food Service Department’s budget is self-sustaining and separate from the annual school budget voted on by taxpayers each year.