The Suffield Public Schools announced its policy for determining eligibility of children who may receive free or reduced-price meals served under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Local school officials have adopted the United States Department of Agriculture’s Income Eligibility Guidelines for family size and income criteria for determining eligibility.
Children from families whose income is at or below certain levels are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Application forms are available online at www.suffield.org and the school offices. To apply for free or reduced-price meals, households should fill out the application and return it to the school. Only one application is required per household and an application for free or reduced-price benefits cannot be approved unless it contains complete eligibility information as indicated on the application and instructions.
The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only for the purposes of determining eligibility and for administration and enforcement of the lunch and breakfast programs.
Additionally, all school-aged children in income-eligible households can receive school meal benefits regardless of a child’s immigration status, and the district/school does not release information for immigration-related purposes in the usual course of operating the Child Nutrition Programs. Note that the district 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. This information may also be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year.