Overton County School Students will get breakfast and lunch for free this fall.
It’s part of a federal program called Community Eligibility Provision. School Nutrition Director Debie Taylor said the district now meets the program’s minimum requirements.
“We have a high enough student enrollment that are directly certified and to be directly certified means they are on government assistance.” said Taylor. “Overton County has been close, but recently the Federal Government lowered the percentage and now we qualify.”
Taylor said the district will not be reimbursed one hundred percent for the extra food costs. She has been working with the schools director to find ways to cut expenses to make up for the increase.
“Since we can’t cut the prices of food, we had to look at other things such as you know, labor,” Taylor said. “And then trimming the cost of using disposables which means we have to wash dishes more.”
Taylor said the district has saved more than 90-thousand dollars a year just by using washable trays.
A federal government ‘s review of the school’s nutrition department revealed some schools were overstaffed. Taylor said she and the schools director chose to not replace those who retired.
This program does not require any of the students to sign-up to get the free meals.
