Students at these 43 Henrico schools will automatically receive free meals

All students attending the 43 Henrico schools under the Community Eligibility Provision will automatically receive free breakfast and lunch for the 2023-24 school year with no application necessary.

Henrico Schools also waived the cost of reduced-price meals, for the second straight year, so students in non-CEP schools that apply and qualify for reduced-price meals will not have to pay. Reduced price breakfast used to cost $0.30 and lunch previously cost $0.40.

The CEP, a federal no-cost meal service for schools and school districts in low-income areas, provides free meals to these Henrico elementary schools: Jacob Adams, Arthur Ashe, George Baker, Ruby Carver, Chamberlayne, Crestview, Cashell Donahoe, Dumbarton, Fair Oaks, Glen Lea, Greenwood, Harvie, Highland Springs, Elizabeth Holladay, Charles Johnson, Laburnum, Lakeside, R.C. Longan, Longdale, Anthony Mehfoud, Montrose, Harold Ratcliffe, Ridge, Sandston, Seven Pines, Skipwith, Three Chopt, Maude Trevvett, Varina, and Henry Ward.

Current middle schools under CEP include: Brookland, Elko, Fairfield, Quioccasin, John Rolfe, and L. Douglas Wilder. CEP high schools include: Henrico, Hermitage, Highland Springs, J.R. Tucker, Varina, and the Campus of Virginia Randolph. An Achievable Dream Secondary, which has middle and high school students, also is a CEP school.

While students at CEP schools will receive one breakfast meal and one lunch meal each day at no cost, if a student wants a second lunch or breakfast that day, they will have to pay.

More than 693,000 students in Virginia qualify for free meals, according to nonprofit campaign No Kid Hungry Virginia. About 40 Virginia school divisions, including Henrico, either do not offer CEP or offer CEP at a limited number of schools.

Henrico Schools also will not raise meal prices for the 2023-24 school year. Student breakfast costs $1.50 and lunch costs $2.90.

Students at non-CEP schools who qualify can receive free or reduced-price meals by filling out a free application anytime during the school year – there is no cutoff date for applying. Applications in other languages are available through the Virginia Department of Education.

Eligibility is based upon:

• total household income and size;
• a child’s individual status as foster, homeless, migrant or runaway;
• whether any household member received benefits from an assistance program.

A household with four members would be eligible with a yearly income of $55,500 or less, and a household of eight members with a yearly income of or less than $93,536.

Sarah Steely, director of No Kid Hungry Virginia, has urged families to complete an application, which she said may help them qualify for additional benefits such as discounted exam fees and scholarship, extracurricular, or college application opportunities.

“It’s important to submit your school meals application, even if you don’t think you qualify,” she said. “We know that food is the most important school supply. School meal programs play a massive role in ensuring kids get three healthy meals a day while also helping families stretch their food budget.”

Students will not need to fill out an application if a member of their household receives:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly the food stamp program); or
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits; or
• Medicaid; or
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) benefits.

These households will receive a letter in the first 10 days of the school year confirming they are automatically approved.

U.S. citizenship or immigration status does not impact eligibility for free or reduced-price benefits. Households with multiple children only need to submit one application.

Non-CEP elementary schools – those at which students will have to apply for free or reduced-price meals – include: Colonial Trail, Jackson Davis, Echo Lake, Gayton, Glen Allen, Maybeury, Nuckols Farm, Pemberton, Raymond Pinchbeck, Rivers Edge, Shady Grove, Short Pump, Springfield Park, Tuckahoe, and Twin Hickory.

Non-CEP middle schools include: Holman, Hungary Creek, George Moody, Pocahontas, Short Pump and Tuckahoe. Non-CEP high schools include: Deep Run, Douglas Freeman, Glen Allen, and Mills Godwin. Students at the Henrico Virtual Academy are also not under CEP.

Households can reapply at any time if eligibility changes, such as a decrease in household income, an increase in household size, becoming unemployed, or receiving SNAP or TANF benefits. Parents who disagree with the decision made on their child’s eligibility can request a fair hearing by writing Superintendent Amy Cashwell at 3820 Nine Mile Road, Henrico, Virginia, 23223 or by calling (804) 226-5544.

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Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s Report for America Corps member and education reporter. Her position is dependent upon reader support; make a tax-deductible contribution to the Citizen through RFA here.