California Area School District

• No, complete the application to apply for free or reduced price meals. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to the Elementary-Middle School or High School Office.

• Children in households getting Food Stamps or TANF and most foster children can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, your children can get free price meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines.

• Please call the Director of Food & Nutrition at 724-785-5800 ext. 1207 to see if your child(ren) qualifies, if you have not been informed that they will get free meals.

• Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced price limits on the Federal Income Chart, shown on this application.

• Please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions, otherwise, guardians must re-submit and application each year for free or reduced lunches.

• Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please fill out an application to see if your household fits the criteria.

• Yes, we may ask you to send written proof.

• Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start getting Food Stamps, TANF or other benefits. If you lose your job, your children may be able to get free or reduced price meals.

• Please contact the Director of Food Services with any disagreements.

• Yes, you or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced price meals.

• You must include all people living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends). You must include yourself and all children who live with you.

• List the amount that you normally get. For example, if you normally get $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get it only sometimes.

• If your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. All other allowances must be included in your gross income.

• Your eligibility may be checked at any time during the school year. School officials may ask you to send documentation that your child(ren) is/are eligible to receive free or reduced price meals/snacks.
• Fair Hearing: You may talk to school officials if you do not agree with the school's decision on your Meal Benefit Application or the results of verification. You also may ask for a fair hearing. You may do this by calling or writing to the Director of Food Services

School officials will use the information on the Meal Benefit Application to decide if your child(ren) is/are eligible to receive free or reduced price meals. The eligibility status of your child(ren) may be given to other child nutrition, health and education programs for determining benefits for those programs and for allocation and evaluation purposes.

You may apply for free or reduced price meals/snacks anytime during the school year. If you are not presently eligible but have a change during this school year, such as a decrease in household income, an increase in household size, unemployment or receive Food Stamp or TANF benefits for your child(ren), complete a Meal Benefit Application at that time.