Pinehurst Elementary receives free lunch grant

PINEHURST — The Kellogg School District recently was awarded a Community Eligibility Provision grant that will allow all students at Pinehurst Elementary School to receive free breakfast and lunch. 

The CEP grant is through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which determines eligibility from programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho (TAFI), which removes the burden of collecting and reviewing individual household applications and, instead, allows schools located in low-income areas to provide free meals to all students.

The grant goes into effect immediately once the students return from their holiday break, Monday, Jan. 8.  

Pinehurst Elementary has 450 students, nearly 40% of the district’s 1,134 total students, making the grant award beneficial to both the Kellogg School District and the families of the students who attend Pinehurst Elementary. 

The district’s other three facilities, Canyon Elementary, Kellogg Middle School and Kellogg High School, did not qualify for the grant as they did not meet the requirement of having more than 40% of students certified for free meals. 

“The CEP grant is a win for Pinehurst Elementary students, parents and our food services staff,” Kellogg schools Superintendent Lance Pearson said. “The grant gives access to free nutritious meals for Pinehurst Elementary students with no stigma and allows them more time to eat nutritious meals. Our parents will not have to worry about household applications and lunch accounts. Our food services staff can streamline their meal services operation which allows students more time to consume their food. Overall this reduces paperwork and administrative costs, eliminates the need to track unpaid meal charges, improves program integrity and ensures our Pinehurst Elementary students are nourished, ready to learn and grow.” 

Kellogg School District's new director of food service, Leah Figueroa, was instrumental in securing the grant, which runs in four-year cycles and will end after the 2026/27 school year. 

“In just the short time Leah has been in charge of the KSD Food Services Program, she has gone above and beyond to effect positive change," Pearson said, "and the CEP award is a credit to her dedication to improving her department."