Foodshare

Monday, September 26, 2016

Success with Universal Free Meals in Bristol

We recently received some great news from Greg Boulanger, Director of Food Services in Bristol and Hunger Action Team (HAT) member: 

"Since the start of the 2016-17 school year, two Bristol elementary schools provide meals under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). We call it 'Universal Free Meals.' As expected we have seen a large increase in participation with breakfast and modest increase with lunch."

According to initial reports:
  • West Bristol increased breakfast by 185% and lunch by 20%
  • E.P. Hubbell increased breakfast by 100% and lunch by 15%

In early spring, Greg asked Bristol HAT members to help him encourage parents of school age children to find out if they were eligible for School Meals or SNAP. He had determined that 3 of his schools were very close to meeting CEP eligibility, but he needed about 200 more families to tip the school eligibility scale. The SNAP Outreach programs at both End Hunger CT! and Foodshare played a role in assisting many parents to access SNAP, which in turn made them automatically eligible for free school meals. The result of these efforts, along with others, is that two of the three schools are now under CEP.

Congratulations to Greg and many thanks to Laura, her volunteers and our colleague/HAT member Shannon Yearwood at EHC!

Learn more about Community Eligibility Provision >

1 comment:

  1. This is such a wonderful result and when test scores start to rise in those schools, so will property values and the local economy. Can't wait to see it all happen :) Thanks to Foodshare and End Hunger staff that made it a reality. Sarah Santora

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