Children need healthy meals to learn. Switzerland County Schools offers healthy meals every school day. The breakfast regular price is 90-cents; lunch is $2.25 at the high school; $2.15 at the middle school; and $2.05 at the elementary schools. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. Reduced-price is 30-cents for breakfast and 40-cents for lunch.
Here are answers to questions you may have about applying:
1. Who can get free or reduced price meals? Children in households getting Food Stamps or TANF and most foster children can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, if your household income is within the limits on the Federal Income Chart, your children can get free or reduced-price meals.
2. Do I need to fill out an application for each child? No. Complete the application to apply for free and reduced price meals. Use one application for all students in your household. The schools cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: the school office that your child attends.
3. Can foster children get free meals? Yes, foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court, are eligible for free meals. Any foster child in the household is eligible for free meals regardless of income.
4. My child’s application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out another one? Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year.
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? Please read the letter that you received carefully and follow the instructions. Call Gayla Bullock at 427-3343 if you have any questions.
6. I get WIC. Can my children get free meals? Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please fill out the application.
7. Can migrant, homeless, or runaway children get free meals? Yes, children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant qualify for free meals. If you haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Gayla Bullock at 427-3343 or gbullock@switzerland.k12.in.us to see if they qualify.
8. May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? Yes. You or your children do not have to be U.S. citizens to qualify for free or reduced price meals.
9. Who should I include as members of my household? You must include all people living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends). You must include yourself and all children who live with you.
10. Will the information I give be checked? Yes, we may ask you to send written proof of the information you give.
11. What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally get. For example: if you normally get $1,000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1,000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get it only sometimes.
12. We are in the military; do we include our housing allowance as income? If you get an off-base housing allowance, it must be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income.
13. My spouse is deployed to a combat zone. Is her/his combat pay counted as income? No, if the combat pay is received in addition to her basic pay because of her deployment and it wasn’t received before she was deployed, combat pay is not counted as income. Contact your school for more information.
14. If I don’t qualify now, may I apply again later? Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
15. My family needs more help. Are there other programs available? To find out how to apply for food stamps or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office.
16. What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application? You should talk to the school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to Gayla Bullock, 1020 West Main Street, Vevay, Indiana, 47043; 427-3343.
We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: the school your child attends.
If you have other questions or need help, call 427-3343
Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame at teléfono: 427-3343
Si vous voudriez d’aide, contactez nous au numero: 427-3343
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INSTRUCTIONS for APPLYING
Households getting TANF or Food Stamps:
– In Part 1, list each enrolled child, include the TANF or Food Stamp case number for any child, and the name of the school. EBT and Hoosier Healthwise numbers DO NOT qualify you for benefits.
– In Part 2, enter the name and case number of any other household member who has a valid TANF or Food Stamp case number.
– In Part 3, check the appropriate box, if any.
– In Part 5, an adult must sign the application. The last four digits of the Social Security number are not required.
– Part 6 and Part 7 are optional for meal benefits.
Migrant, Homeless, or Runaway:
– In Part 1, list each enrolled child which are homeless, migrant, or runaway and the name of the school.
– In Part 3, check the appropriate box and contact the school’s homeless liaison or migrant coordinator.
– In Part 5, an adult must sign the application. The last four digits of the Social Security number are not required.
– Part 6 and Part 7 are optional for meal benefits.
Foster Child:
If all children in the household are foster children:
– In Part 1, list each enrolled foster child and the school name for each child. Check the box indication the child is a foster child.
– In Part 5, an adult must sign the application. The last four digits of the Social Security number are not required.
– Part 6 and Part 7 are optional for meal benefits.
If some of the children in the household are foster children:
– In Part 1, list each enrolled child, include the TANF or Food Stamp case number for any child with a case number, and the name of the school. Check the box if the child is a foster child.
– In Part 2, enter the name and case number of any other household member who has a valid TANF or Food Stamp case number.
– In Part 3, check the appropriate box and contact the school’s homeless liaison or migrant coordinator for any listed child which are homeless, migrant, or runaway.
– If no one in the household has a valid TANF or Food Stamp case number, in Part 4 list everyone related or unrelated living in your household. Include yourself, spouse, all children, grandparents, other relatives, and unrelated people. Use another sheet of paper if you need to.
For each household member, list each type of income received for the month. You must tell us how often the money is received – weekly, every other week, twice a month, or monthly. For earnings, be sure to list the gross income, not the take-home pay. Gross income is the amount earned before taxes and other deductions. You should be able to find it on your pay stub or your boss can tell you.
For other income, list the amount each person got for the month from welfare, child support alimony, pensions, retirement, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veteran’s benefits (VA benefits), and disability benefits. Under All Other Income, list Worker’s Compensation, unemployment or strike benefits, regular contributions, from people who do not live in your household, and any other income.
Do not include income from SNAP, FDIR, WIC, Federal education benefits, and foster payments received by the family from the placing agency. For ONLY the self-employed, under Earnings From Work, report income after expenses. This is for your business, farm, or rental property. If you are in the Military Privatized Housing Initiative or get combat pay, do not include these allowances as income. If you have no income, put a checkmark (√) in the box.
In Part 5, an adult household member must sign the form, and if income information was provided, the adult household member must provide the last four digits of their Social Security Number (or mark the box if s/he doesn’t have one).
Part 6 and Part 7 are optional for meal benefits.
All Other Household Types: Including WIC households:
– In Part 1, list each enrolled child.
– In Part 2, check the appropriate box, if any. Skip Part 3.
– In Part 4, list everyone related or unrelated living in your household. Include yourself, spouse, all children, grandparents, other relatives, and unrelated people. Use another sheet of paper if you need to.
For each household member, list each type of income received for the month. You must tell us how often the money is received – weekly, every other week, twice a month, or monthly. For earnings, be sure to list the gross income, not the take-home pay.
Gross income is the amount earned before taxes and other deductions. You should be able to find it on your pay stub or your boss can tell you. Do not include income from SNAP, FDIR, WIC, Federal education benefits, and foster payments received by the family from the placing agency.
For ONLY the self-employed, under Earnings From Work, report income after expenses. This is for your business, farm, or rental property. If you are in the Military Privatized Housing Initiative or get combat pay, do not include these allowances as income. If you have no income, put a checkmark (√) in the box.
Income to Report:
– Social Security
– Earnings from Work Before Deductions
– Veteran payments
– Wages/salaries/tips
– Supplemental Social Security Income
– Strike benefits
– All Other Income
– Unemployment compensation
– Earnings from second job
– Workman’s compensation
– Disability benefits
– Net income from self-owned business or farm
– Interest/Dividends
– Welfare/Child Support/Alimony
– Cash withdrawn from savings
– Public assistance payments
Income from:
– Estates/Trusts/Investments
– Welfare payments
– Regular contributions from persons not living in the household.
– Alimony payments
– Child support payments
– Royalties/Annuities/Rental Income
– Pensions/Retirement/Social Security
– Any other monies that may be available to pay for the child’s meals
– Pensions
– Retirement income
Part 5: An adult must sign the application and list the last four digits his/her Social Security number, or put a checkmark (√) in the box if you have no social security number.
Part 6 and Part 7 are optional for meals benefits
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Eligibility guidelines are as follows:
– For a household size of one, annual income cannot exceed $20,665; monthly income cannot exceed $1,723; twice per month income cannot exceed $862; ever two week income cannot exceed $795; and weekly income cannot exceed $398.
– For a household size of two, annual income cannot exceed $27,991; monthly income cannot exceed $2,333; twice per month income cannot exceed $1,167; ever two week income cannot exceed $1,077; and weekly income cannot exceed $539.
– For a household size of three, annual income cannot exceed $35,317; monthly income cannot exceed $2,944; twice per month income cannot exceed $1,472; ever two week income cannot exceed $1,359; and weekly income cannot exceed $680.
– For a household size of four, annual income cannot exceed $42,643; monthly income cannot exceed $3,554; twice per month income cannot exceed $1,777; ever two week income cannot exceed $1,641; and weekly income cannot exceed $821.
– For a household size of five, annual income cannot exceed $49,969; monthly income cannot exceed $4,165; twice per month income cannot exceed $2,083; ever two week income cannot exceed $1,922; and weekly income cannot exceed $961.
– For a household size of six, annual income cannot exceed $57,295; monthly income cannot exceed $4,775; twice per month income cannot exceed $2,388; ever two week income cannot exceed $2,204; and weekly income cannot exceed $1,102.
– For a household size of seven, annual income cannot exceed $64,621; monthly income cannot exceed $5,386; twice per month income cannot exceed $2,693; ever two week income cannot exceed $2,486; and weekly income cannot exceed $1,243.
– For a household size of eight, annual income cannot exceed $71,947; monthly income cannot exceed $5,996; twice per month income cannot exceed $2,998; ever two week income cannot exceed $2,768; and weekly income cannot exceed $1,384.
– For each additional person, add $7,326 per year; $611 per month; for twice per month add $306; for every two weeks add $282; and $141 per week.
OTHER BENEFITS
Put a checkmark where you want the information released. By signing this section you will allow the school to release information that shows you have applied for free or reduced price benefits under the NSLP. The information will only be used for the programs you have marked on the application.
Textbook Assistance:
– You must answer this question and sign, in order to receive textbook assistance. You are not required to answer this question to receive meal benefits.
Please Note: For Textbook Assistance, these are specific things that you must complete in addition to the required items for meal benefits.
1. Living with parent/caretaker relative, (The definition of a caretaker relative is a relative, either by blood or by law, who lives with the child and exercises parental responsibility [care and control] in the absence of the child’s parent. Examples include, but are not limited to: Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Step-Parents, and Adult Siblings.)
2. grade, and
3. check if you are applying for textbook assistance and sign under ‘Other Benefits’.
Your application must contain 2 signatures for meals and textbooks.
Hoosier Healthwise
– Your child(ren) may qualify for free or low-cost health insurance under Medicaid or Hoosier Healthwise. If you do want this information released for the purpose of Hoosier Healthwise, please sign. For more information about Hoosier Healthwise health insurance, call 1-800-889-9949.