LAFAYETTE PARISH, La. — The Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) has elected to participate district-wide in the USDA's Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program for the 2023-2024 school year.
This decision will allow all students to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost to their families, according to Amanda N. Blanco, LPSS Public Information Officer.
“As educators, we know that nutritious meals make a positive impact on the overall health and development of students. Participating in the CEP program allows us to offer well-balanced meals at no cost to students, which contributes to the student’s academic success in the classroom and reduces the financial burden for families,” states Interim Superintendent Francis Touchet.
Since it began in 2014, the Community Eligibility Provision program has shown the most success and improvement in student meal participation and classroom readiness. As part of the program's requirements, families are not asked to complete an application for meal benefits.
For more information on the USDA Community Eligibility Provision Program, visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/community-eligibility-provision.
