The new school year is in full swing and as kids head back to the classroom this week, they’ll want to go in with a full stomach. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that students with higher grades typically have healthier dietary behaviors — but not all students have that luxury. That’s why now, for the first time in New York state’s history, each and every student can get school breakfast and lunch for free through a program called Universal Free Meals.
The program’s goal is to combat food insecurity, encourage healthy habits and put money back in parents’ pockets. Central Square Central School District School Lunch Director Amy Catlin said in this economy, every penny counts.
“It saves the families an enormous amount of money on a daily basis,” Catlin said.
But not all schools across the state have opted in. Central Square, for example, is participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision program. Students still get free breakfast and lunch, but program eligibility is based on poverty levels. Under CEP, schools don’t have to collect household applications from students, but would have to prove that at least 40% of the students use SNAP or TANF benefits…