One indication that a household might be food insecure is whether it qualifies for the federal Free and Reduced Lunch program. Each school reports its free lunch data to the Vermont Department of Education.
The percentage of children eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch provides one kind of snapshot of poverty — and with it food insecurity — around Addison County.
The 10 Addison County schools reporting the highest percentages of students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch, and the percentage of eligible students, are:
•  Bridport Central, 63.0 percent.
•  Shoreham Elementary, 47.5 percent.
•  Vergennes Union Elementary, 47.45 percent.
•  Ripton Elementary, 46.8 percent.
•  Bristol Elementary, 44.8 percent.
•  Robinson Elementary, 43.2 percent.
•  Addison Central, 42.9 percent.
•  Mary Hogan Elementary, 42.9 percent.
•  Salisbury Community School, 42.7 percent.
•  Beeman Elementary, 40.4 percent.