USDA providing free meals to local schools

Some schools in the Harrison County School District will be introducing universal free meals during the 2023 school year.

Nine Harrison County schools are currently enrolled in the USDA’s community eligibility provision program.

This special provision to the school’s breakfast and lunch program will be providing universal $16 million in free meals to all households of eligible schools.

The provision is a four-year commitment that eliminates the financial and administrative burden of issuing free and reduced meal applications.

Director of Child Nutrition Programs Brad Barlow says this has been a goal of his since 2016. “Being that we could encompass nine campuses within this program was above the goal, the original goal. We are just ecstatic to have this program and have it serve our communities for the next four years.”