ANSWER:

Schools with Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) eligibility of 40 percent or greater are eligible to participate in the Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) program. Whether or not a school has a refrigerator has no bearing on its eligibility. Every year in April, the Division of Food and Nutrition Services applies to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for all eligible schools. Currently, 80 schools are eligible based on the fact that 40 percent or more of their students are eligible for FARMS. However, MSDE determines the schools that will participate in the program based on available funding. At this time, MCPS has 31 participating schools: 27 elementary schools and 4 secondary schools.

The equipment needed depends on the particular facility. The cost of a refrigerator is $6,000 for a 2-door reach-in refrigerator. An additional milk cooler would be $3,500.