By Ruth Bayman
Special to The Luverne Journal

On July 18, Crenshaw County Public Schools announced its policy for free and reduced-price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program. For the school year 2024-25, Crenshaw County Public Schools will continue participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

No further action is required of families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provision allows children to participate in the school meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit a meal application.

The provision is a key provision of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, which allows schools and school districts in low-income areas to eliminate school meal applications and serve breakfast and lunch at no charge to all enrolled students. The CEP gives food service professionals more time to focus on preparing nutritious meals that their students will enjoy and gives students more time to eat those meals by cutting down on time spent in the lunch line. More importantly, by offering all students a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost, CEP helps ensure more students come to class well-nourished and ready to learn.

Children need healthy meals to learn. Crenshaw County Public Schools offer healthy meals every school day. Breakfast and lunch meals will follow the USDA guidelines for healthy school meals, so please encourage students to participate. As required by the provision, “In the operation of child feeding programs, no child will be discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age or disability.”

Parents or guardians who need further information may contact Ruth Bayman, Child Nutrition Program Director by emailing ruth.bayman@crenshaw-schools.org or calling (334) 335-6519 Extension 9204.

USDA nondiscrimination statement:
In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by mail atU.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; by fax at (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442 or by email at Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. DISCLAIMER: The enclosed “nondiscrimination” language herein was added pursuant to the May 5, 2022, USDA memorandum. However, although included as currently required for audit compliance by the USDA, the State of Alabama objects to its inclusion, applicability and the application of this language, and may be subject to change or removal.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.