ANNUAL NEWS RELEASE – PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT 

Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem today announced participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for District area school children.

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a key provision of The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, allows the nation’s highest poverty districts and schools to serve all students free meals without the burden of collecting household applications. This alternative saves districts and schools time and money by streamlining paperwork and administrative requirements. CEP gives food service professionals more time to focus on preparing nutritious meals their students will enjoy, and gives students more time to eat those meals by cutting down on time spent in the lunch line.

CEP allows all students in District area to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge to the household each date of the 2021-2022 school year.

Because all students receive meals at no charge, individual children at CEP schools no longer have to worry about the stigma associated with free or reduced price status. And most importantly, by offering all students a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost, CEP helps boost participation, helping schools ensure more students come to class well-nourished and ready to learn.

Nondiscrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited basis will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632- 9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your

completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington,

D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.