Students in Clay County schools will have the opportunity to eat breakfast and lunch at school at no cost. The county is participating in a program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

The CEP was enacted as a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and provides universal meal service to children in high poverty areas. This is the fourth year for the option. The CEP is an alternative to collecting, approving and verifying household eligibility applications for free and reduced price eligible students in high poverty local education agencies. If at least 40 percent of a school’s students are directly certified for free meal benefits, the entire school qualifies for the option.

Clay County expects to have all six county schools participate in the CEP. The program allows the school system to feed nearly 2,000 students each day.

“I am proud that Clay County schools will be participating in the CEP program to help meet a crucial need for student success in our county,” Superintendent Joe Paxton said. “We know academic achievement increases when our students are well fed and ready to learn, and we must provide access so all students have a chance to achieve.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released data reporting high levels of food insecurity and hunger across the country. In West Virginia, over 14 percent of residents live in food insecure households and more than 100,000 children live below the poverty line.

For more information contact the Clay County Board of Education 304-587-4266.