Apply For Lunch
FREE AND REDUCED PRICED MEALS: Multi-family free and reduced priced meal applications are given out in student packets at the beginning of each school year. All children (including foster children) living in the household must be listed on the application. The application should be completed immediately upon receipt and returned to the Child Nutrition Department, 26138 Highway 23, Port Sulphur, Louisiana 70083 prior to September 17, 2022 to ensure that students have a new meal status for the current school year. Students may use the prior year’s meal status only through the above stated date. Once the new application is processed, the prior year’s meal status is voided. The free and reduced price application is extremely important and should be completed even if students do not intend to eat meals in the cafeteria. An approved application provides additional funding for our parish and additional funds for children with special needs (gifted, handicapped, etc.). If a student does not have an application on file for the previous year or does not have a new application processed before the prior year status ends, he or she will pay full price for meals. Families applying for free or reduced priced meals may be required to send proof of income at some point during the school year. Families may apply for free or reduced price meals at any time during the school year when the household income drops, when the number of people in the household increases, or when employment is lost.
Free and Reduced Application Questions
1. Do I need to fill out an application for each child?
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No, fill out one multi-family Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information.
2. Who can get free meals?
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Children in households getting Food Stamps, FIP, or FDPIR and most foster children can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, your children can get free price meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines.
3. Can homeless, runaway, and migrant children get free meals?
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Please call the school your child attends for more information on migrant, homeless or runaway applications. Complete the Free and Reduced Price School Meals application if you have not been informed that your child (ren) will get free meals.
4. Who can get reduced price meals?
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Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced price limits on the Federal Income Guidelines Chart, shown below on this page.
5. Should I fill out an application if I got a letter this school year saying my children are approved for free or reduced price meals?
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Please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. Call the school cafeteria if you have questions.
6. I get WIC. Can my child (ren) get free meals?
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Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please fill out an application.
7. Will the information I give be checked?
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Yes, we may ask you to send written proof, such as check stubs, a letter of eligibility from the food stamp office or the welfare/TANF office, letter from employer stating gross income, etc..
8. If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later?
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Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start getting Food Stamps, FIP, FDPIR, or other benefits. If you lose your job, your children may be able to get free or reduced price meals.
9. What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application?
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You should talk to the Child Nutrition Department first. If you are not satisfied with the results, you may also ask for a hearing by calling or writing to:
Plaquemines Parish School Board
Shelley Ritz
1484 Woodland Highway
Belle Chasse, Louisiana 70037
(504) 595-6400
10. May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
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Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced price meals.
11. Who should I include in as members of my household?
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You must include all people living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relative, or friends). You must include yourself and all children who live with you. Include all foster children on the application with other household students. Make certain to check the "no income" box if no income and the "Foster Child" box if a foster child.
12. What if my income is not always the same?
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List the amount that you normally get. For example, if you normally get $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get it only sometimes.
13. We are in the military; do we include our housing allowance as income?
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If your housing is part of Military Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. All other allowances must be included in your gross income.
**If you have any questions regarding Free and Reduced Lunch please call (504) 564-0088.