February 25, 1999

 

El Puente Joins National Lunch Program

 

El Puente Santa Barbara, operated by the Juvenile Court and Community School Program of the Santa Barbara County Education Office, will provide free and reduced price meals year-round for students served under the National School Lunch Program.

Household size and income criteria identified in the attached chart will be used to determine eligibility for free and reduced price benefits. Students from households whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for free or reduced price lunches. Students who are members of food stamp households, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) assistance units, or receive benefits from the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) are automatically eligible regardless of the income of the household in which they reside. Eligibility for a foster child is based on the child's income.

Application forms have been distributed to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free and reduced price meals for their children.

Applications are also available at the principals' office in the school. To apply for free or reduced price meals, households must complete the application and return it to the schools.

Applications may be submitted at any time during the school year. Information provided on the application will be used to determine eligibility and verify data.

For school officials to determine eligibility for free and reduced price benefits, households receiving food stamps, CalWORKs, or FDPIR benefits only have to list their child's name, and food stamp, CalWORKs, or FDPIR case number, and an adult household member must sign the application. Households who do not list a food stamp, CalWORKs, or FDPIR case number must list the names of all household members, the amount and source of the income received by each household member, and the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application. If the household member does not have a social security number, the household member must indicate that a social security number is not available. The application must be signed by an adult household member.

Under the provisions of the free and reduced price policy, the determining official(s), as designated by the School Food Authority (SFA), shall review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the ruling of the official may discuss the decision with the determining official on an informal basis. Parents wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to the SFA's hearing official. For specific information as to the name of the determining official and/or hearing official for a specific school or the district, parents or guardians should contact the school(s) their child(ren) atttend(s).

Households that list a food stamp, CalWORKs, or FDPIR case number must report when the household no longer receives these benefits. Other households approved for benefits based on income information must report increase in household income of over $50 per month or $600 per year and decreases in household size. Also, if a household

Member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household's income falls at or below the levels shown above.

Households that receive food stamps or CalWORKs do 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 the foot stamp/CalWORKs office that a child is a member of a household currently receiving food stamps or an assistance unit receiving CalWORKs. School officials will notify households of their eligibility but those who do not want their child(ren) to receive free meals must contact the school. Food stamp and CalWORKs households should complete an application if they are not notified of their eligibility by (insert date).