Free & Reduced Applications

Click Here to Fill Out the Application Online

Click Here to Download and Print Out the Application – English

Click Here to Download and Print Out the Application – Spanish

Click Here to Check the Status of Your Online Application

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Children need healthy meals to learn. Hall County School Nutrition offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.10 in elementary and $1.35 in middle/high; lunch costs $1.95 in elementary and $2.05 in middle/high. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. Reduced-price is $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. This packet includes an application for free or reduced-price meal benefits and a set of detailed instructions.

Your child’s approved eligibility for free or reduced-price meals at school may provide an additional benefits for other services available to students in the school district. Examples of these benefits may include college entrance exams or fees offered at no cost or at a reduced cost; certain hearing or vision tests, discounted internet service, ACT, SAT exam fees waived or offered at a reduced cost to students. If you are interested in sharing your child’s approved eligibility with school district administrators please check the sharing eligibility boxes on the application form. No other information is shared, only the approved eligibility. Be assured that information on the meal application is kept confidential. Additionally, keep the eligibility notification letter you receive after the meal application has been processed, as it may be used for additional benefits during the school year

Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.

1. WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS?
   • All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP or TANF are eligible for free
   • Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free
   • Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free
   • Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free
   • Children may receive free or reduced-price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Your children MAY qualify for free OR reduced-price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on the Federal Eligibility Income Chart.

2. 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 call Hall County HOPE Program, Homeless Liason 770-967-5846, or Migrant Education Program at 770-534-9123.
3. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD? Use one Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. Return the completed application to your youngest child’s school nutrition manager.
4. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS? No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Valerie English 770-534-1080, english@hallco.org immediately.
5. CAN I APPLY 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. Paper applications are available in your child’s school. Visit https://schoolmeals@hallco.org to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact Valerie English 770-534-1080, Valerie.english@hallco.org if you have any questions about the online application.
6. MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE? Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year, through September 15, 2023. 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.
7.  I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS? Please send in an application, as their eligibility will be based on income.
8. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED? We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
9. IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER? You may apply at any time during the school year.
10. WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION? You should talk to school You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Eric Radich, 711 Green Street, Gainesville, GA, 770-534-1080, eric.radich@hallco.org
11. MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A 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.
12. WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME? List the amount that you normally 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.
13. WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE 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
14. 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.
15. WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY? List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. Contact Valerie English 770-534-1080, english@hallco.org to receive a second application.
16. MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR? To find out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-877-423-4746.

If you have other questions or need help, please call Valerie English at 770-534-1080 ext 10223.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Jones, SNS, MBA

Hall County School Nutrition Director

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act requires the information on this application. You do not have to give the information, but if you do not, we cannot approve your child for free or reduced-price meals. You must include the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application. The last four digits of the social security number is not required when you apply on behalf of a foster child or you list a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) case number or other FDPIR identifier for your child or when you indicate that the adult household member signing the application does not have a social security number. We will use your information to determine if your child is eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and for administration and enforcement of the lunch and breakfast programs. We MAY share your eligibility information with education, health, and nutrition programs to help them evaluate, fund, or determine benefits for their programs, auditors for program reviews, and law enforcement officials to help them look into violations of program rules.

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/ad-3027.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:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.