AUSTINTOWN - The Austintown Local School District is officially continuing its free breakfast and lunch program for the 2025-2026 school year.

These meals come thanks to the Ohio Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program.

CEP provides funding to high-poverty schools to serve their students nutritionally balanced meals at no cost to the school, the student or their family.

This is the second year Austintown Local Schools will be participating in CEP after the program was brought to Ohio between 2012 and 2013. 

"When a child’s nutritional needs are met, they can focus on learning, not hunger," says the No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices.