Free, low-cost school meals available

Summer's sunny days are expected to continue, but for most local children, summer's laziness ends on Sunday. Before heading back to school, families that may qualify for free or reduced priced school meals -- including breakfast, lunch and milk -- must fill out an application. Eligibility for the discounted rates is based on family size and household incomes, but adjusts slightly each year.

Applications are available at Kings County schools, and may be submitted at any time during the year. The Kings County Office of Education has already distributed applications to area households.

If a household increases in number, or loses an income, it may make a family eligible during the school year. The contrary is also true, in which families who have had a decrease in size or an increase in income must report it to their children's school, as they might no longer be eligible. Applications do have to be submitted and processed before free or reduced rates will kick in.

Families that receive food stamps, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, CalWORKS, Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payments, or KinGAP, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations known as FDPIR automatically qualify for the program. These families may not need to complete an application for free or reduced-price meals. 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. Households not notified of their eligibility should complete an application.

Families that don't receive any of these aids must complete an application and list the name and income of each person in their household. The application requires Social Security numbers as well, except for those family members without them.

Please contact your child's school for more information on the free or reduced-priced lunch program.

(Aug. 16, 2008)