Who Should Fill Out an Application?

Fill out an application if:

·        Your total household income is the same or less than the amount on the income chart

·        You are receiving Basic Food, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for your children

What Counts as Income? Who is Considered a Member of My Household?

Look at the income chart below. Find your household size and total household income. If member in the household are at different times during the month and you are unsure if your household is eligible, fill out an application and we will determine your income eligibility for you. the information you give will be used to determine your child's eligibility for free or reduced-price meals

HOUSEHOLD is defined as all persons, including parents, children, grandparents and all people related or unrelated who live in your home and share living expenses. If applying for a household with a foster child, you may include the foster child in the total household size.

HOUSEHOLD INCOME is considered to be the income each household member received before taxes. This includes wages, social security, pension, unemployment, welfare, child support, alimony and any other cash income. If including a foster child's personal income. Do not report foster payments as income.

Don't my Children Automatically Qualify if they have a Case Number?

Children on TANF or Basic Food my get free meals without the household having to complete an application. These children are identified by the school using a data matching process. TANF and Basic Food staff at the Department of Social and health Services (DSHS) sends a list of children on these programs to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instructions (OSPI). OSPI matches the children on this list to our list of enrolled students that your child's school has reported to us.  This matched list is then made available to your child's school food service staff.  The students on this list get free meals if their school has the free and reduced breakfast and/or lunch program not all schools do). Please contact us immediately if you feel your children should be receiving free meals and aren't.

If you do not want your child to participate in the free meal programs using this method, please notify the school.

You may turn in the completed application at your student's attending school, or the District Office or the Food Services Office located behind Showalter Middle School.

We will notify you if the application is approved or denied by mail. If any child you are applying for is homeless, migrant, or a runaway, check the appropriate box and call your school.

Please see Required Information below in order to process your application without delay.

REQUIRED INFORMATION:
Signature is Always Required on Application

A. For Household NOT getting any Food Stamps, TANF OR FDPIR. An income base household:

• Student's Name
• names of all household members
• Income by source for all household members
• Total Household Members
• Adult household member's signature
• Last 4 digits of social security number of the adult household member who signs the application (or check the "I do not have a social security number" box if the adult signing the application does not have one)

B. For a Household with only a foster child(ren):

• Student's Name
• Attending School
• Adult household member's signature
• Last four digits of social security number for the adult signing the application. (or check the "I do not have a social security number" box if the adult signing the application does not have one)

C. For a household with a foster children and other children:

Apply as a household and include foster children. Follow the directions above for A. Households not getting assistance and include child's personal use income.

D. For a family getting Basic Food/TANF/FDPIR:

• List all student names and case number where appropriate. if the student is not the one with a case number, enter the household member's name and their case number
• Last four digits of social security number for the adult signing the application. (or check the "I do not have a social security number" box if the adult signing the application does not have one)
• Adult household member's signature