Truckers can eat for free

NORWALK — Local districts offer their students two free meals every school day. Norwalk Schools officials recently publicized the district's program, entering its second year this fall, which offers meals to all district students free of charge. The district's food service director, Brad Kraft, said Sandusky Schools and EHOVE Career Center also offer this program. Students have the opportunity to have free breakfast and lunch every school day. The only extra cost students will see will be for extra à la carte items. Those who bring their lunch to school can also participate in the free food program. They must pick up three out of five offered lunch items and one of the items must be milk. The free meals are offered thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision, a program created to support high-poverty districts, allowing them to offer free meals without requiring individual household applications. Qualifying districts are determined by an Identified Student Percentage, which consists of students who use benefits like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Medicaid or who identify as homeless, migrant or in foster care. If the percentage is at least 25%, then a district qualifies for the program. Norwalk Schools began this program last year, the 2024-25 school year, according to Kraft. "It is a program that the district applied for last school year through the State of Ohio and the United States Department of Agriculture," Kraft said. "(Community Eligibility Provision) streamlines meal service operations while also increasing participation in school meals and potentially improving student outcomes." Through the program, Kraft's students are offered two meals every day that follow guidelines set by the United States Department of Agriculture. As a free meal provider, Kraft listed several ways the program benefits students: • Reduced food insecurity • Improved cognitive function • Reduced stigma and anxiety • Increased participation in school meals • Potential for improved behavior Kraft also provided ways schools benefit from the program: • Reduced administrative burden • Increased participation • Improved meal service operations • Cost savings Kraft said the program also gets rid of several stigmas students face related to meal time, including: • Students who bring a lunch pack and eat very little • Students who feel like they cannot buy meals because they do not have money • Students who feel like they cannot charge for their meals because they charged many times already "With the (Community Eligibility Provision) Program, now every student eats no matter what," Kraft said.