Free Breakfast and Lunch Information for 2024-25 (CEP)

COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION (CEP) PROGRAM

All students enrolled in Mercer Area School District will receive free breakfast and lunch during the 2024-2025 school year as part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program. 

Participation in the CEP Program eliminates the requirement for parents/guardians to fill out Free and Reduced Meal applications.

Students will still have the option to purchase extra meals, food & snack items, and drinks (à la carte) at an additional cost.

Prepayments
À la carte items can be paid for in cash or by prepayment on the student’s cafeteria account. Prepayments can be made by cash, check payable to “Mercer Schools Cafeteria” or with a debit/credit card by setting up an account at www.schoolcafe.com.

Low Balance
Parents/guardians will be notified by phone, email and/or letter to send payment if a student has a balance in their cafeteria account.  Payments can be made in the form of cash, check payable to “Mercer Schools Cafeteria” or online at www.schoolcafe.com (debit/credit card).

Students with balance will not be permitted to charge any extras on their account. Any charges remaining on a student’s cafeteria account from a prior school year will continue to accumulate until the balance is paid in full. If needed, payment arrangements for larger balances can be made by contacting the business office at 724-662-4120.

Reminders:
The free/reduced meal application is not required. 
Students can still purchase extra food and drinks (Á la carte) at an additional cost.

Non-Discrimination Statement 
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

(1)mail:  U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
(2)fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3)email:  program.intake@usda.gov
 This institution is an equal opportunity provider.                                                                                       

 

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