SFUSD information regarding free and reduced-price meals programs

Press Release

This is the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Student Nutrition Services’ annual announcement regarding the policy for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program. Each school has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed on request.

Meal applications will be sent to all households with a letter informing parents or guardians of the availability of free and reduced-price meals. To apply, families will complete one application for each child in the household and submit to the school for processing. Additional printed copies are available at the school or can be found online at www.schoolmealapp.sfusd.edu.

Households may submit an application at any time during the school year. Information provided on the application will determine eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school officials.

Children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals if their household income is less than or equal to the Income Eligibility Guidelines identified below, which will be used to determine eligibility for meal benefits. These guidelines are effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

San Francisco Unified School District Student Nutrition Services will notify households via the postal service of their children’s direct certification for free meals if any household member receives CalFresh, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), or Food Distribution Program Indian Reservations (FDPIR) benefits. Households will also be notified of their child’s eligibility if the child is categorized as foster, homeless, migrant, runaway, enrolled in an eligible Head Start, or enrolled in an eligible pre- kindergarten class. An application is not required if a household receives an eligibility notice from school officials. Households should contact the school immediately if: (1) a child in the household is not included on the eligibility notice or (2) if the household chooses to decline their child’s meal benefits.

Households that did not receive the eligibility notice from school officials and would like to apply for meal benefits must complete the application before a child’s eligibility is determined.

Households receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs, or FDPIR benefits must include the following on their meal application:

1.   Names of all enrolled children

2.   One case number from any household member

3.   Signature of an adult household member

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Page updated on 08/11/16