A struggle lifted from parents

“We have so many working poor that may not qualify for free or reduced lunch,” Delong said. “We’ve just taken that struggle away.”

Jennifer Cates, principal at Albert Powell High School, has been a advocate for the program for some time.

She said sometimes free lunch is an obvious indicator of who’s poor, but now that stigma has been eliminated.

“I like to think once kids get here to Albert Powell, that it should be an equalizer,” Cates said. “... This way I know everyone is getting a good healthy meal, there’s always fruit out for the kids, there’s no stigma.”

By ensuring the students are well fed, it could help them do better in school, she said.

“Ultimately, kids are primed to learn when their basic needs are met,” Cates said. “We’re going to be sending out healthier and better prepared graduates.”

Marysville Joint Unified School District has been part of the Community Eligibility Provision since 2016-17 school year, said Amber Watson, director of nutrition services for Marysville Joint Unified School District.

“In the first year, we saw an immediate increase in participation,” Watson said.

Students eating breakfast averaged an increase of 18 percent in the first year and lunch increased by 8 percent, she said. And the district has been able to maintain that.

“We couldn’t keep food on the shelf those first few months,” Watson said.

She said this program is able to help families who may not be able to afford to provide fresh produce or whole grains, which can be difficult to afford for families compared to a fast food burger.

“We’re providing something that our community, our parents just don’t have the means to,” Watson said.

The Community Eligibility Provision comes from the USDA and is based on the percentage of students who are eligible for free meals determined by their participation in other means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Other factors like homeless population, migrant status and the number of foster students is also taken into account, Delong said.