Free and Reduced-Price Meals: Back-To-School Countdown (Day 32)

The Brandon Patch Back-To-School Countdown proceeds with this Day 32 report, offering news of interset as the first day of classes approaches.

Teachers in the Hillsborough County School District go back to school Aug. 15 to prepare for the first day of classes, Aug. 23.

______________

Under the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs, families on low incomes can receive support to ensure that their children are well-fed for the upcoming school year.

Income eligibility guidelines are established annually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price meals or free milk.

Here’s news to know about applying for the aid:

• Applications this summer were sent by mail to all Hillsborough County parents and guardians. Forms are available also at the principal’s office at each school. Application can be made online as well.
• A new application must be filed with the start of each new school year.
• Examples of applications filled out in 26 different languages are available online for review.
• The information on the completed forms is confidential and used to determine eligibility for the food programs and also for other educational programs.
• Applications can be submitted any time throughout the school year. A new application is not necessary if a child moves from one school to another in the school district during the academic year.

Applications primarily are approved based on the income and size of household (see charts below).  Applicant families must provide:

• Total gross monthly household income by amount, frequency and type (documentation to verify this amount might be requested);
• Names of all household members;
• Signature of an adult household member certifying that the amount noted is correct; and
• The last four digits of the Social Security number of the adult signing the application. (The applicant can check, “None,” if that is the case.)

Hillsborough’s Healthy Meals Express Application Center will review the applications to determine eligibility.

Notice will be given within 10 days, by mail. To verify eligibility, call: 1-866-544-5575.

To contest a decision, call Paula Lasher, program accountability manager, at 813-840-7066. Formal appeals can be forwarded to: Mary Kate Harrison, General Manager, Student Nutrition Services, 2920 North 40th Street, Tampa, FL 33605-3205.

___________

ABOUT THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL COUNTDOWN:

This is the 32nd posting in a 41-day effort that counts down the days before the opening bell of the 2011-12 school year for the Hillsborough County School District.

Previously posted:

• Back-To-School Countdown (Day 15) — Education Quotes To Consider
• Back-To-School Countdown (Day 16) — Sizer on Adolescence
• Back-To-School Countdown (Day 17) — Bully Prevention and Reporting
• Back-To-School Countdown (Day 25) — School Assignment, Choice in Hillsborough County
• Back-To-School Countdown (Day 30) — Hillsborough’s School Board, Meeting Schedule