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free lunch

Following on the heels of the successful Universal Free Breakfast program extended to all students in Durham Public Schools this year, the school district announced a new program allowing 10 schools to provide free lunch as well—regardless of a student’s economic status.

Under the United States Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision, DPS now offers free lunches at Eastway, C.C. Spaulding, Fayetteville Street, Y.E. Smith, Lakewood, Glenn, Merrick-Moore, R.N. Harris and Bethesda elementary schools as well as Lakeview School.

“From last year’s Universal Breakfast pilot, we learned that we can impact students’ focus and attention in the classroom by removing the stigma that keeps a child from accepting a free or subsidized meal,” said James Keaten, DPS executive director of school nutrition. “This federal program helps us remove yet another barrier to good student health.”

All students at these schools will now receive free breakfast and free lunch.  The approval is retroactive to August 25, 2014, valid for four years and renewable after that.  Families that paid for lunches prior to the program announcement may be reimbursed or be credited for future a la carte purchases.

“Durham Public Schools will embrace every opportunity we are given to help our students become healthier and academically successful,” said DPS Superintendent Dr. Bert L’Homme. “Hunger is a significant distraction from learning. I’m proud of Jim Keaten and our school nutrition staff for taking advantage of this federal program and placing our students’ needs first.”

This year Durham Public Schools expanded its Universal Free Breakfast program to all 54 schools. In the first week of school on the traditional calendar (August 25-29) DPS served an additional 19,107 breakfast meals compared to the previous year.