Policy for Free and Reduced Meals - Public Notice

The Greenville County School District today announced its policy for free and reduced price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.  Local school officials have adopted the following household size and income criteria for determining eligibility:

Household Size and Income Guidelines for Free Meals or Reduced Price Meals Effective July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019

Free meals – 130%

Reduced price meals – 185%

Children from families whose income is at or below the levels shown may be eligible for free or reduced price meals.

For school officials to determine eligibility, the household must provide the following information on the application:  (1) A SNAP or TANF case number certifying the household is currently eligible for either of these assistance programs and an adult household member signature or (2) names of all household members, the name and last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member signing the application form, current income by source for each household member and a signature of an adult household member certifying that the information provided is correct.

Foster children may also be eligible for these benefits regardless of household income.  If a household has foster children living with them and the household has not previously been notified by the School District that their foster children have been directly certified for free meals, the household should include and count the foster children (including personal income earned by the foster children) on the household application form with other non-foster children.

Under the provisions of the policy, Bonnie Hogue, Free and Reduced Project Manager will review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the ruling of the reviewing official may wish to discuss the decision with the reviewer on an informal basis. Parents wishing to make a formal appeal may make a request either orally or in writing to Joe Urban, Director of Food and Nutrition Services whose address is: 100 Blassingame Road, Greenville, SC 29605 for a hearing to appeal the decision.  The hearing procedures are outlined in the policy.

If a household member becomes unemployed or if household size changes, the household should contact the school to file a meal application.  Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for free or reduced price meals if the household income falls at or below the levels shown above. A complete copy of the policy is on file in each school and in the office of the District Superintendent where any interested party may review it.

This release was sent to the following newspapers: The Greenville News

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