Cumberland County Schools (CCS) Child Nutrition Services is excited to announce The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is being offered in seventy of our schools for the 2024-2025 school year. The provision enables each student enrolled in the participating schools to receive a breakfast and lunch at no charge on days when school is in session. Students enrolled at participating CEP schools are not required to submit a lunch application to receive meals at no charge.

Elementary Schools:

Alderman Road, Armstrong, Ashley, Loyd Auman, Ed Baldwin, Beaver Dam, Brentwood, W.T. Brown, Elizabeth Cashwell, Cliffdale, College Lakes, C. Wayne Collier, J.W. Coon, Cumberland Mills, Cumberland Road, District 7, Alma Easom, Eastover-Central, Ferguson-Easley, Gallberry Farm, Glendale Acres, Gray's Creek, Honeycutt, E. Melvin, Howard Hall, Bill Hefner, Lake Rim, Long Hill, Manchester, Ben Martin, Mary McArthur, E.E. Miller, Montclair, Morganton Road, New Century, W.H. Owen, Ponderosa, Raleigh Road, Rockfish, J.W. Seabrook, Sherwood Park, Lucile Souders, Stedman Elementary, Stedman Primary, Stoney Point, Sunnyside, Vanstory, Walker-Spivey, Warrenwood, Westarea, Margaret Willis

Middle Schools:

Max Abbott, Douglas Byrd, Anne Chesnutt, Hope Mills, Howard Learning Academy, Luther Nick Jeralds, Lewis Chapel, New Century, Reid Ross, South View, Spring Lake, Westover

High Schools:

Douglas Byrd, Ramsey Street, Reid Ross, Seventy-First, E.E. Smith, South View, Westover, A.B. Wilkins

Non CEP Middle Schools:

Gray's Creek, John Griffin, Pine Forest Middle, Seventy-First Classical, Mac William 

Non CEP High Schools:

Jack Britt, Cape Fear, Cross Creek Early College, Cumberland International Early College, Gray's Creek, Cumberland Polytechnic, Massey Hill, Pine Forest, Terry Sanford

What does CEP mean for lunch applications?

Schools that are participating in CEP will not distribute lunch applications to their students for the 2024-2025 school year. However, traditional and year-round schools that are not participating in CEP will continue to distribute lunch applications to students to be completed and returned to respective school cafeteria managers and then processed at the Child Nutrition main office to determine a student’s meal status.

 What if one sibling is attending a CEP school and the other is not?

The student that is not attending the CEP school will need to submit a lunch application to apply for benefits. All students attending CCS, including those attending a CEP school, need to be listed on the lunch application. Please refer to the application example as to how to complete the lunch form. Please contact the Child Nutrition office at (910) 678-2595 for questions as to why one sibling may be receiving a meal at no charge and the other does not.

 What if a student is attending a CEP school, but is transferring to a non-CEP school?

Although the student receives meals at no charge at the CEP school that does not mean the student will receive the same benefits if they transfer to a non-CEP school. If a student transfers from a CEP to a non-CEP school within the same county and the student is not otherwise eligible for meals at no charge (e.g., SNAP direct certification, homeless, migrant), an application must be submitted to the cafeteria manager or the CNS office, upon enrollment in the non-CEP school. Completed applications will be processed within 10 days after being received by the CNS office. 

What if I do not see my student's school listed above in the table for CEP Schools?

If you do not see a school listed above, then it is a non-CEP school. For a complete listing of non-CEP schools, click here.

At a CEP site, may a student be charged for an incomplete meal if the student refuses to select the components required for a complete meal?

Yes. This is the same policy at non-CEP schools. A student could select an incomplete meal. However, because the incomplete meals may not be claimed for Federal reimbursement, the student would be charged a la carte prices for the foods selected on their tray.

 Can students at a CEP school purchase additional food items?

Yes. Students can purchase approved additional food items approved for a la carte sales. If you have any questions, please contact the Child Nutrition Office at (910) 678-2502.

• Child Nutrition Homepage

• Meet the Team

• Cafeteria Employment

• Lunch Applications

• Meal Information

• Monthly Menus

• Nutritional Programs

810 Gillespie Street
Fayetteville, NC 28306

Phone: 910-678-2502
Fax: 910-678-2542

Beth Maynard
Executive Director