Universal Free School Meals Through the Community Eligibility Provision: Maryland Food Service Provider Perspectives

This research article, co-authored by No Kid Hungry’s Tam Lynne Kelley, was recently published (April 9th, 2021) on the benefits of CEP. “Universal free school meals through the Community Eligibility Provision: Maryland food service provider perspectives” finds that CEP increases meal participation, reduces perceived student stigma, lessens financial stress for parents, and improves staff morale. This is the first peer-reviewed paper to qualitatively examine CEP implementation, using interviews with district food service directors and school cafeteria managers in Maryland. Click here to read the article in the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development.