Dear Parent/Guardian:
Children need healthy meals to learn. Hickory Pu=
blic
Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.00; lunch
costs $1.65 for grades PreK – 5 and $2.00 for grades 6-12. Your child=
ren
may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $.30
for breakfast and $.40 for lunch.
1. Do=
I need
to fill out an application for each child?=
No. Complete the applicat=
ion to
apply for free or reduced price meals. Use one Free and Reduced Price
School Meals Applic=
ation
for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application th=
at
is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed applicatio=
n to
your child’s school for further processing.
2. Who can get free meals? <=
/span>Children in households getting Food Stamps or TAN=
F and
most foster children can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, yo=
ur
children can get free price meals if your household income is within the fr=
ee
limits on the Federal Income Guidelines.
3. Can
homeless, runaway and migrant children get free meals? Pl=
ease
call your child’s school to
see if your child(ren) qualify, 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 is within the reduced price limits on the Federal Income Cha=
rt,
shown on this application.
5. Should I fill out an
application if I got a letter this school year saying my children are appro=
ved
for free or reduced price meals? Please read the letter you =
got
carefully and follow the instructions. Call 828-322-2855 ext. 229 if you ha=
ve
questions.
6. I get WIC. Can my child(r=
en)
get free meals? Children in households participating in WIC =
may
be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please fill out an applicat=
ion.
7. Will the information I give be checked? Yes, we may ask you to send written proof.
8. If I don’t qualify now, may I apply late=
r? 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 F=
ood
Stamps, TANF or other benefits. If you lose your job, your children may be =
able
to get free or reduced price meals.
9. What if I disagree with the school’s dec=
ision
about my application? You should=
talk
to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing t=
o: Dr. Ric Vandett, Superintendent, 432 4th Ave SW, Hickory, NC 28602=
(828)322-2855
10. May I apply if someone in my household is not=
a U.S. ci=
tizen? Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a <=
st1:place
w:st=3D"on">U.S.
citizen to qualify for free or reduced price meals.
11. Who should I include as members of my househo=
ld? You must include all people living in your=
household, related or not (such as grandparen=
ts,
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 $1000 each month, but you mi=
ssed
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.
13. We are in the milit=
ary,
do we include our housing allowance as income? If your housing is part of the Mil=
itary
Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include allowance as income. All other allowances must be inclu=
ded in
your gross income.
If
you have other questions or need help, call (828)322-2855 ext. 229
Sincerely,
Mary
West, Child Nutrition Director
The
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act requires the information on th=
is
application. You do not have to give the information, but if you do not, we
cannot approve your child for free or reduced price meals. You must include the social securi=
ty
number of the adult household member who signs the application. The social security number is not
required when you apply on behalf of a foster child or you list a Food Stamp
Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program or Food Dis=
tribution
Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) case number or other FDPIR identifier
for your child or when you indicate that the adult household member signing=
the
application does not have a social security number. We will use your information to de=
termine
if your child is eligible for free or reduced price meals, and for
administration and enforcement of the lunch and breakfast programs. We MAY
share your eligibility information with education, health, and nutrition
programs to help them evaluate, fund, or determine benefits for their progr=
ams,
auditors for program reviews, and law enforcement officials to help them lo=
ok
into violations of program rules.
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, Direct=
or,
Office of Civil Rights, 14=
00
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington
DC 20250-94=
10
or call (800) 795-3272 or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.
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