The Gulf Shores City School system announced that starting on January 4th, 2024, all students may eat breakfast and lunch at no charge. The school system has been approved by the State of Alabama Child Nutrition Department to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for breakfast and lunch.

CEP in Alabama was established in 2010 as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and became available nationwide SY2015.  CEP allows high-poverty schools to offer meals to all students at no cost, without the need to collect applications.

In a social media post the Gulf Shores City Schools added:

What does this mean?

1. Beginning on January 4, 2024, all students may eat breakfast and lunch at no charge.

2. If you make regular, automatic payments to the Meal Account Payment Portal, please have these payments stopped by December 15th. If money is past due on your child's account, please pay it.

3. Only one free breakfast and lunch will be allowed daily. If your child selects a second breakfast, second lunch, or extra choices available in the lunchroom, your child will be charged.

Parents or guardians who need further information please contact Tanya Hill, Child Nutrition Program Director, at thill@gsboe.org. Thank you.

There are currently 458 participating schools in Alabama for the CEP Program. Some of the funding for this project came from the ARPA funds, which Governor Kay Ivey earmarked in her "Funding Principles" letter.