During National School Lunch Week, Hunger Free New Jersey and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture visited George L. Catrambone Elementary School in Long Branch to celebrate the district’s decision to opt into the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2025–2026 school year. Long Branch joins 161 New Jersey school food authorities now offering free breakfast and lunch, expanding free meal access to tens of thousands of children across the state.
Long Branch Public Schools serves nearly 6,000 students across eight schools. With CEP, every child in the district now receives breakfast and lunch at no cost, eliminating meal debt, reducing stigma, and ensuring that every student can start the day ready to learn.
“Since the beginning of my career, I’ve always wanted to see children get free breakfast and free lunch,” said Peter E. Genovese III, School Business Administrator for the Long Branch Board of Education. “With CEP, our vision of feeding all children breakfast and lunch could be realized. Now, we’re able to ensure that all of our students get a wholesome, healthy breakfast and a delicious lunch that they’re not responsible for paying for.”
Mr. Genovese, who will retire at the end of this year after more than 30 years of service, reflected on how the shift to CEP enables schools to focus on students, rather than debt collection. “Instead of chasing dollars, which is what we had to do for a long period of time, where children who weren’t eligible for free lunch but were right on the cusp couldn’t afford to pay, we don’t have to chase them anymore. We can just provide them with a good meal.”
For years, the traditional pay structure of school meal programs left many families behind. Strict income thresholds meant that students from working families who earned slightly too much to qualify for free meals often fell through the cracks. The result was lunch debt, tough choices for parents, and children facing school days on empty stomachs.
“We think it’s super important that these kids can come in first thing in the morning and fuel their bodies,” said Nicole Carroll, Principal of George L. Catrambone School. “Coming in hungry just makes the day much more difficult. If kids can’t focus on their schoolwork, they’re going to be focused on their bellies. And if that’s not full, the school day isn’t going to go well.”
Superintendent Francisco Rodriguez agreed, emphasizing how CEP strengthens not just academic performance, but community well-being. “We’re really excited to be a part of this program. It has provided access and opportunities for our students and their families. It’s also helped our community understand that food inequity is a reality. That reality is one that this (CEP) program allows us to bridge, so that we can close that gap.”
Across New Jersey, more than one million residents experience food insecurity, including 272,000 children. Recent cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, along with unexpected disruptions such as the federal government shutdown, have placed even greater strain on those vulnerable families. Now more than ever, programs like CEP serve as a vital safety net to combat childhood hunger and ensure students have consistent access to nutritious food.
“Every child deserves to start the day nourished and ready to learn,” said Lisa Pitz, Director of Hunger Free New Jersey. “Long Branch’s leadership shows what’s possible when schools prioritize equity, dignity, and opportunity for every student.”
Photos from our visit:
