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Reduced price meals
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School meals are available to children during the school day at 1450 locations. These locations are public elementary, middle, special education and high schools as well as some non-public schools that have opted to provide school meals to their children through the Office Of School Food and Nutrition Services.
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Frequently asked questions
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| How do I know what my household is eligible for? Parents
or guardians of children should complete the
Application For Free and Reduced Price School Meals. This application
is sent to parents at the beginning of each school year, from the school your
child attends. It should be completed and returned promptly, so that the school
can determine if your household is eligible
for free, reduced price or full paid school meals. The school will send you a
letter that tells you what your eligibility has been determined to be, based on
the household size and monthly gross income you report for your household.
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| What happens if I do not return the application? Your
household will be required to pay the full price for any breakfast or lunch
your child eats in school.
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| I do not have a social security number. Can my child have
breakfast and lunch in school? Yes. Complete the application for school
meals. In the space for a social security number, write the word “NONE”.
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| What if my household receives food stamps or aid to dependent
children or temporary assistance to needy families (ADC/TANF)? The New
York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance will send you a
letter, which list the names of school age children in your household. This is
called a Direct Certification letter. When you take or mail this letter to each
child’s school, your household will be eligible for free school meals. However
if you do not get a Direct Certification Letter in the mail, you should
complete the Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals, giving your
Food Stamp or ADC/TANF case number. Your child will then be eligible for free
breakfast or lunch at school.
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| What if the child is a foster child? The parent or
guardian should complete the school meals application indicating the child’s
status as a foster child, family of one. Unless the foster child has personal
use income, none is reported on the application. The income of the guardian’s
household should not be reported. The guardian should sign the application.
Generally foster children are eligible for free meals.
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| Is there a difference in the meals served to children who are
free, reduced price or paid eligible? No.
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| My child stays for After
- school programs, can he or she get food? Yes. In any school
that serves breakfast and lunch, and has an after school program, the Office Of
School Food & Nutrition Services will provide children with snacks. The
principal of the school initiates the after school snack program by completing
an application available from the Office Of School Food & Nutrition
Services.
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| Must I pay for the snack? You will not be asked to
send money to the school for the snack. However, your child’s school will
encourage you to complete and return the "Application for Free and Reduced
Price School Meals" so that the cost of the snack served to your child may be
returned to the New York City Department of Education, based on federal
household income eligibility guidelines (free, reduced price or paid) and local
funding.
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