Meal Benefits Application (Free and Reduced) Application

The Grand County School District strongly encourages ALL families to complete a meal benefit application for the 2022-2023 school year.

Many programs, including Title 1 (interventions for reading), BEACON, and Technology rely heavily on funding based on these applications - so it’s critical that as many families as possible complete an application for the 2022-2023 school year. Applications are only valid for the school year in which you applied, so applications from the 2021-2022 school year (all applications prior to July 1, 2022) are no longer applicable. Free or reduced price meal eligibility is based on the income eligibility guideline below or participation in SNAP, FDPIR, or TANF; however, families or students meeting any of the following criteria may also be eligible for free or reduced price meals, regardless of income:

Families or children who are living in motels, hotels, hostels, RVs, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, parks, or any other public or private places not designed or ordinarily used as permanent lodging.

Families or children who are sharing the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.

A child who is formally placed by the court into foster care.

A child who is identified as a runaway and receiving assistance from a program under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.

Families or children considered migrant agricultural workers.

INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

Printable Meal Benefits (Free & Reduced) Application

_Complete Meal Benefit Application 2022-2023

How to fill out your Printable Meal Benefits (Free & Reduced) Application

Instructions for Meal Benefit Application 22-23

Who can get FREE or reduced price meals?

All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or TANF, are eligible for free meals.
Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
- Families or children who are living in motels, hotels, hostels, RVs, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, parks, or any other public or private places not designed or ordinarily used as permanent lodging.
- Families or children who are sharing the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
- A child who is formally placed by the court into foster care.
- A child who is identified as a runaway and receiving assistance from a program under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.
- Families or children considered migrant agricultural workers.
Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on the chart above.

My child was approved for Free or Reduced Meals last school year. Do I need to fill out a new application this year?

Yes! Your child’s application is only good for one school year and for the first 30 days of the new school year, regardless of when you applied last year. You must send in a new application unless the you were notified AFTER JULY 1, 2022 that your child is eligible for the new school year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price for meals.

I didn't compete my Free & Reduced Application on time and my child has a negative balance. Will that go away if I am approved for Free & Reduced Meals?

We strongly encourage you to complete the Free and Reduced Application before school starts each school year. If your child charges meals before you complete the application, you are responsible for those charges regardless of your Free and Reduced status after you apply.

Should I fill out an application if I received a letter for the 2022-2023 school year stating my children are already approved for free meals?

No, but please read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Alysha Packard - Director or Child Nutrition Programs immediately.

Can I apply for Free or Reduced Meals ONLINE?

Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit Aspire to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact Alysha Packard - Director of Child Nutrition Programs if you have any questions about the online application.

Do I need to fill out an application for each child?

No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. Applications can be completed online or the application above can be printed and completed in PEN. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Grand County School District 264 South 400 East Moab, Utah 85432

If I don't qualify now, may I apply later?

Yes! You may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit. If you are a seasonal worker you may use your average annual (yearly) income to complete the application. If you have any questions about this process, please contact Alysha Packard - Director of Child Nutrition Programs.

My family receives WIC. Can my children get free school meals?

Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please send in an application.

What if my income is not always the same?

List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you make $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income. If you are a seasonal worker you may use your average yearly income. Please contact Alysha Packard - Director of Child Nutrition Programs if you have any questions.

How do I know if my family is considered homeless or migrant?

Families or children meeting any of the situations listed below may qualify for free or reduced priced meals REGARDLESS of income.

Families or children who are living in motels, hotels, hostels, RVs, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, parks, or any other public or private places not designed or ordinarily used as permanent lodging.

Families or children who are sharing the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.

A child who is formally placed by the court into foster care.

A child who is identified as a runaway and receiving assistance from a program under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.

Families or children considered migrant agricultural workers.

If your family meets any of these situations please contact the Director of Child Nutrition Programs to determine free or reduced price meal eligibility and find out if additional resources are available to you.

Alysha Packard, SNS

Director of Child Nutrition Programs

608 South 400 East

Moab, Utah 85432

(435) 259-2757

[email protected]

What if someone in my household has no income to report?

Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.

We don't qualify for free meals, but we can't afford to pay for lunches. What do we do?

Many families in Grand County do not qualify for free meals based on income, but don't make enough money to comfortably provide breakfast and/or lunch to their school-age children.

If your family or children meet any of the following situations you may be eligible for free or reduced priced meals, regardless of income:

Families or children who participate in SNAP, FDPIR, or TANF
Families or children who are living in motels, hotels, hostels, RVs, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, parks, or any other public or private places not designed or ordinarily used as permanent lodging.
Families or children who are sharing the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
A child who is formally placed by the court into foster care.
A child who is identified as a runaway and receiving assistance from a program under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.
Families or children considered migrant agricultural workers.

If your family or children do not meet any of those situations, please complete this form. GCSD often has some funds available from generous donors to help pay for student meals. We cannot apply emergency lunch funds to your student's account without a completed Emergency Lunch Fund Application AND a completed Meal Benefits (Free & Reduced) Application.

If you find that your family is struggling to provide meals for your children, please contact:

Alysha Packard, SNS

Director of Child Nutrition

Grand County School District

(435) 259-2757

[email protected]

We are happy to work with your family to ensure your students receive nutritious meals at school and connect you with community resources, if needed.

How do I know if my children qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway?

Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please contact Alysha Packard - Director of Child Nutrition Programs.

May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. Citizen?

Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals. The information on your application is HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL and is not shared. The information you provide is ONLY used to determine your eligibility for Free or Reduced Price Meals, so it is very important that ALL members of your household are included on the application.

What if there isn't enough space on the application for all of my family members?

List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your application.

We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?

Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.

Will the information on my application be verified?

Yes. The Child Nutrition Department reviews all Free and Reduced Applications. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report. Any information you submit on your application is HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL and is never shared with anyone.

I speak a language other than English. Do you have resources available in other languages?

Si habla español, visite nuestra página gratuita y reducida en español.

If you need a Free & Reduced Meal Application in an alternate language (other than Spanish), click HERE.

If you need additional help in an alternate language (other than Spanish), please contact the Moab Valley Multicultural Center.

My family needs more help. Are there other programs we can apply for?

To find out how to apply for Utah Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office:

Department of Workforce Services

457 Kane Creek Blvd
Moab, UT 84532

Phone: 435-719-2600
Fax: 435-719-2604

Email: [email protected]

SERVICES AVAILABLE HERE:

Employment services for general public (some programs are for eligible individuals):

Job search and job preparation assistance
On-site recruiting and hiring events
Career exploration and coaching
Veterans employment assistance
Adult and youth employment and training programs

Vocational Rehabilitation services for eligible individuals with disabilities to prepare for employment:

Counseling and guidance
Training and education
Disability treatment and assistive technology
Job placement, coaching and other support services for work
Pre-employment transition services for students

USOR Phone 435-259-4635

Eligibility services for SNAP (food), child care, financial and medical assistance:

Apply online here.
Mail, fax or drop off supporting documents through one of the following ways:
Fax: (801) 526-9500 or toll-free 1-877-313-4717
Mail: Centralized Imaging Unit (CIU)
P.O. Box 143245
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-3245

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program

Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling 801-526-9240. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech impairments may call Relay Utah by dialing 711. Spanish Relay Utah: 1-888-346-3162.

What if I disagree with the school's decision about my Free or Reduced Application?

You should talk to the Child Nutrition Department if you have any questions or concerns about the status of your application.

Director of Child Nutrition Programs

Alysha Packard

608 South 400 East

Moab, Utah 85432

(435) 259-2757

[email protected]

If you are not satisfied with that response or you still disagree with the approval decision you also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to:

Grand County School District Superintendent

Taryn Kay

264 South 400 East

Moab, Utah 85432

(435) 259-1718

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights
regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race,
color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or
reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g.,
Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or
local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice
and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027,
USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online
at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by
writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address,
telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail
to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged
civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
Email: [email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

ADA Compliant 5/20/22