Are You Eligible for SVUSD's Free or Low-Cost School Meals?

Saddleback Valley Unified School District announced Monday its eligibility criteria for free and reduced-price meals for the 2012-13 school year.

Free or reduced-price meals for children living in eligible households are provided as part of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

Household size and income determine eligibility for meal benefits.

For example, children who attend a SVUSD school and live in a three-person household are eligible for free breakfast and lunch if the household's annual total income is $24,817 or less. Children in that same household are eligible for reduced-price meals if its income totals $35,317 or less.

• See the eligibility scale for the 2012-13 school year to the right.

Application forms are being distributed to all households with a letter informing them of the availability of free and reduced-price meals for enrolled children. Applications are also available in the office at each school site.

To apply for free or reduced-price meal benefits, households must complete an application and return it to the school or Nutrition Center for processing. Applications may be submitted at any time during the school year.

Eligibility for a foster child is based on a separate application and solely on the amount of the child's “personal use” income.

Children who receive Food Stamp (CalFresh), California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payments (Kin-GAP), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) benefits are automatically eligible for free meals regardless of the income of the household in which they reside.

Households that receive CalFresh, CalWORKs, Kin-GAP, or FDPIR benefits may not have to complete an application for free or reduced-price Meals. School officials will determine eligibility for free meals based on documentation obtained directly from those benefits programs. If not notified of eligibility by Sept. 4, Food Stamp, CalWORKs, Kin-GAP, and FDPIR households should complete an application for free meals.

Those who do not want their child to receive free meals need to contact the school.

Parents or guardians who are dissatisfied with the eligibility ruling may discuss the decision with the determining official on an informal basis or make a formal request for an appeal hearing of the decision to the determining official by contacting their child's school for specific information regarding official.

During the school year, if a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Those changes may make children in the household eligible for benefits if the household's income falls at or below the eligibility levels.

 For more information, call the SVUSD Nutrition Center at (949) 830-4030.