Free and Reduced Meals

Children need healthy meals to learn. Delhi Central Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.00 and Lunch costs $1.60. Children from households that meet federal income guidelines (outlined below) are eligible for free or reduced meals. Reduced meals are 25 cents for Breakfast and Lunch. To apply for free or reduced meals, submit a Direct Certification letter form the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance OR complete the enclosed application, sign it, and return it to Christine Miller, Food Service Manager before September 2nd 2009. Please refer to the guidelines contained in this letter when completing the application. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so please be sure to fill out all required information.

1. Do I need to fill out an application for each child? No. Complete the application to apply for free or reduced price meals. DO not fill out more than one application for your household.
2. Who can get free meals? Children in households getting Food Stamps or TANF and most foster children can get free meals regardless of you income. Also, your children can get free meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines. Each foster child must be listed on a separate application with Part 2 completed and include an adult signature.
3. Can homeless, runaway and migrant children get free meals? Please call John Mulholland at (607)-746-1305 to see if your child(ren) qualifies, if you have not been informed that they will get free meals.
4. Who can get reduced price meals? Your children can get low cost meals if your household income income is within the reduced price limits on the Federal Income Chart, shown on this application.
5. Should I fill out an application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are approved for free or reduced price meals? Please read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. Please contact Christine Miller Food Service Manager (607)-746-1366 if you have any questions.
6. I get WIC; can my children get free meals? Children of households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced meals. Please fill out an application
7. Will the information I give be checked? The school may ask you at any time during the school year to verify you eligibility. You will be notified, in writing, if you have been selected for Verification. School officials may ask you to send papers showing that you child should receive free or reduced meals at the time you applied.
8. If I don’t qualify now, may I reapply later? Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your household sized goes up, income goes down, or if you start getting Food Stamps, TANF or other benefits. If you lose your job, you children may be able to get free or reduced price meals.
9. What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application? You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing Marian Chrisman, Business Administrator, 2 Sheldon Drive, Delhi N.Y. 13753 (607)-746-1304.
10. May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? Yes. You or your children do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced price meals.
11. Who should I include as members of my household? 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.
12. What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally get. For example, if you normally get $1,000.00 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900.00, put down that you get $1,000.00 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get it only sometimes.

     Income Chart: The following chart lists income levels according to household size and income levels received yearly, monthly or weekly. If your total household income is the same or less than the amounts on the Income Chart below, your children may be eligible to receive free or reduced meals.

Reduced Price Eligibility Income Chart
Effective from July 1st 2009 to June 30th 2010

Household Size  Annual          Month        Twice-Monthly     Bi-Weekly      Weekly
1………………     $20,036           $1,670       $835                       $771               $386
2………………     $26,955           $2,247       $1,124                    $1,037             $519
3………………     $33,874           $2,823       $1,412                    $1,303             $652
4………………     $40,793           $3,400       $1,700                    $1,569             $785
5………………     $47,712           $3,976       $1,988                    $1,836             $918
6………………     $54,631           $4,553       $2,277                    $2,102             $1,051
7………………     $61,550           $5,130       $2,565                    $2,368             $1,184
8………………     $68,469           $5,706       $2,853                    $2,634             $1,317
For each additional

Family member add  $6,919    $577          $289                     $267               $134

How to Apply: To get free or reduced price meals for your children you may submit a Direct Certification letter received from the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, OR carefully complete one application for your household and return it to the designated office. If you now receive food stamps, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) for any children, or participate in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), the application must include the children’s names, the household food stamp, TANF or FDPIR number and the signature of an adult household member. All children with the same case number may be listed on the same application. Seperate applications are required for children with different case numbers. If you do not list a food stamp, TANF or FDPIR number for all the children for whom you are applying, the application must include the names of everyone in the household, the amount of income each household member, and how often it is received and where it comes from. It must include the signature of an adult household member and that adult’s social security number, or the word “none” if the adult does not have a social security number. An application that is not complete cannot be approved, Contact your local Department of Social Services for your food stamp or TANF number or complete the income portion of the application.
             
     Reporting Changes: The benefits that you are approved for at the time of application are effective for the entire school year. You no longer need to report changes for an increase in income or decrease in household sized, or if you no longer receive food stamps.

     Income Exclusions: The value of any child care provided or arranged, or any amount received as payment for such child care or reimbursement for costs incurred for such care under the Child Care Development (Block Grant) Fund should not be considered as income for this program.

     Nondiscrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

     Meal Service to Children with Disabilities: Federal regulations require schools and institutions to serve meals at no extra charge to children with a disability which may restrict their diet. A student with a disability is defined in 7CFR Part 15b.3 of Federal regulations, as one who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities are defined to include functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, or working. You must request the special meals form the school and provide the school with medical certification from a medical doctor. If you believe your child needs substitutions because of a disability, please get in touch with us for further information, as there is specific information that the medical certification must contain.

     Confidentiality: The United States Department of Agriculture has approved the release of students names and eligibility status, without parent/guardian consent, to persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of federal education programs such as Title I and the National Assessment of Educational Programs (NAEP), which are United States Department of Education programs used to determine areas such as the allocation of funds to schools, to evaluate socioeconomic status of the school’s attendance area, and to assess education progress. Information may also be released to State health or State education programs administered by the State agency or local education agency, provided the State or local education agency administers the program, and federal, state or local nutrition programs similar to the Nations School Lunch Program. Additionally, all information contained in the free and reduced price application may be released to persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of programs authorized under the Nations School Lunch Act (NSLA) or Child Nutrition Act (CAN); including the Nations School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, the Special Milk Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program of Women Infants and Children (WIC); the Comptroller General of the United States for audit purposes, and federal, state or local law enforcement officials investigating alleged violation of the programs under the NSLA or CAN. The disclosure of eligibility information not specifically authorized by the NSLA requires a written consent statement form the parent/guardian We will let you know when your application is approved or denied.

Sincerely,                                    
Christine Miller CDM, CFPP
Food Service Manager
Delhi Central Schools
2 Sheldon Drive
Delhi, N.Y. 13753
(607) 746-1366

Application for Free and Reduced Meals (pdf file - 44 KB)

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