News Summary
Asheville City Schools has announced that all students will receive free breakfast and lunch for the upcoming school year through the Community Eligibility Provision program. This initiative aims to alleviate financial burdens on families and ensure students have consistent access to nutritious meals, which are vital for their health and academic success. Superintendent Dr. Maggie Fehrman emphasizes the importance of this program in combating child hunger and enhancing student performance. More details will be shared later this summer.
Asheville, North Carolina – Asheville City Schools has announced that it will provide free breakfast and lunch to all students for the upcoming 2025-26 school year. This initiative comes as part of a collaboration with Chartwells K-12 and utilizes the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, aimed at ensuring that no student has to pay for meals during school hours.
Under the new program, all students under the age of 18 enrolled in Asheville City Schools will have access to free breakfast and lunch without any requirement for families to submit meal applications. This initiative is designed to alleviate financial burdens for families and guarantee that students have consistent access to nutritious food options, which is a critical component of their overall health and academic success.
Asheville City Schools’ Superintendent, Dr. Maggie Fehrman, highlighted the importance of nutritious meals as a cornerstone of student success. The district plans to release additional details about the free meal program to the public in July and August, so families can fully understand how to utilize this benefit.
The implementation of free meals for all students addresses a pressing issue – child hunger. Studies have consistently shown a strong correlation between food security and improved academic performance. By ensuring that students have access to healthy meals at school, Asheville City Schools aims to support learning and development.
Prior to the school year, Asheville City Schools also conducted a summer meals program, which ran on Wednesdays until August 13. This effort aimed to provide meals outside the traditional school calendar and demonstrated the district’s commitment to combating food insecurity.
In similar efforts, neighboring districts have already seen the benefits of the CEP program. For instance, Haywood County reported that 75% of its students participated in the free lunch program at least once last year. Although Asheville City Schools did not participate in the CEP until this year, districts like Buncombe and Haywood have reaped its rewards by significantly increasing meal access for students.
By participating in the CEP, Asheville City Schools will receive reimbursements from the federal government, facilitating the program’s funding. In North Carolina, a significant percentage of students face food insecurity, and many do not qualify for federal assistance programs. The CEP allows schools to provide meals based on different eligibility criteria, including participation in federal support programs such as SNAP and TANF. Recently, the USDA expanded the eligibility criteria to include Medicaid in determining the identified student percentage (ISP) for CEP participation, potentially allowing more districts to offer free meal programs.
The free meal initiative is not just about hunger alleviation; it also aims to reduce the stigma that students from low-income families may face when accessing school meals. By offering free meals to all students, Asheville City Schools is fostering an inclusive environment where every student can feel comfortable and supported.
Overall, this groundbreaking initiative represents a significant step toward improving food security for students in Asheville. As the new school year approaches, the district’s commitment to providing free meals serves as a model for other communities striving to address similar challenges. More information regarding the specific details of the free meal program will be shared in the upcoming months, ensuring that families are well informed about the resources available to them.
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Additional Resources
- WLOS: Asheville City Schools Offer Free Meals
- WSPA: Free Meals for 2025-26 School Year
- Mountain X: Free Meal Programs for Students
- K12 Dive: Schools in Asheville
- Wikipedia: Child Nutrition
Author: STAFF HERE ASHEVILLE WRITER
ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER The ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREAsheville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Asheville, Buncombe County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Asheville Bread Festival, LEAF Festival, and mountain sports tournaments at Biltmore Estate. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in hospitality and brewing that power the local economy such as the Biltmore Estate and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERECharlotte.com, HEREGreensboro.com, HERERaleigh.com, and HEREOBX.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into North Carolina's dynamic landscape.
