Meal Benefits
Free and
Reduced Meal Benefits Application
- Pick up an application at your child(s) school, Central
Services Lunch Application Office, Room 3, or Apply Online.
- Instructions
on completing the Free & Reduced Meal Benefits Application in English
and Spanish
- Meal Benefits Application Form in English
and Spanish
- Cost
and payment information for school meals in English
and Spanish
Frequently Asked Questions about Meal Benefits
Download
a copy of the Meal Benefits Frequently Asked Questions in
English
and
Spanish
Q: Who can get free or reduced
price meals?
A: All children in households
receiving benefits from SNAP (Food Share), W-2 Cash Benefits., and most
foster children can get free meals regardless of income. Also your
children can get free or reduced price meals if your household’s gross
income is at or below the reduced price limits on the Federal Income
Guidelines.
Q: I get WIC. Can my child(ren) get
free meals?
A: Children in households
participating in WIC may
be eligible for free or reduced price meals.
Please fill out an application.
Q: What happens if a family does not
submit a Meal Benefits Application?
A: Children in the household must
pay full price for breakfast and lunch.
Q: My child(ren) received free lunch
last year. Will they automatically get free lunch again this year?
A: No! Each year you must complete
a new Meal Benefits Application. Last year’s meal status is valid until
a 2011-2012 application has been processed OR until October 13, 2011,
whichever comes first. If a new application is not submitted and
processed by October 13, your free or reduced status is dropped
and you
will have to pay the full price of the meal.
Q: How long does it take to get
approved?
A: Applications are approved or
denied within 10 business days of receipt in the Meal Benefits Office.
Q: Where can I get an application?
A: Applications are available in
school offices at the Meal Benefits Office, Room 3 at the MPS Central
Office building, and at Milwaukee Public Libraries. Applications can be
completed online at www.sns.milwaukee.k12.wi.us.
Q:What should a family do if their
“temporary” eligibility has expired?
A: An expired meal eligibility
means their child’s status will change to “Paid” and they will be asked
to pay the full price of the meal. If the temporary meal eligibility
has expired, the family should call the Meal Benefits Office at
414-475-8897 for instructions. The family must pay for any meals
charged between the time the application expired and the time a
permanent application is approved.
Q: Why would a child’s status change
from free/reduced at the beginning of the year to full pay?
A: This can occur for different
reasons:
- No application was submitted and processed before October
13, 2010. The child(ren) are automatically changed to full pay status
October 14, 2010.
- The family completed an application reporting zero income
and the temporary status expired after 45 calendar days.
- The family was selected for verification/audit and did not
return the required documentation.
Q: Can I fax application to Nutrition
Services?
A: No! All applications are
scanned by an automated process. Faxed applications cannot be scanned
and that means they cannot be processed.
Q: If I move to Milwaukee Public
Schools from another school district where my children received free or
reduced meal benefits, do I have to reapply here to continue to receive
benefits?
A: Yes! If you move to MPS from
another school district, you must complete a new application. Meal
eligibility status does not transfer to MPS. If your children transfer
from one school to another within
MPS, their status would remain the
same.
Q: What income do I need to list on
the application?
A: Income is any money received on
an ongoing, regular basis. List the gross income each person
earned
from work. Gross income is all money earned before any taxes or other
deductions. Income includes: earnings from work, child support,
alimony, pensions, retirement, social security, overtime (if it occurs
on a regular basis), etc. If the hours you work vary from week to week,
take two of your paychecks and average them together to get your total
income for the period.
Q: What if more than one family lives
in the house?
A: Include all people living in
your household, related or not, and their income. If you live with
other people who are economically independent (people who you do not
support, who do not share income with you or your children, and who pay
a pro-rated share of expenses), do not include them.
Q: Will the information I give be
checked?
A: Yes, and we may also require
you to provide written proof.
Q: We are in the military. Do we
include our housing allowance as income?
A: 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 by income.
Q: My spouse is deployed to a combat
zone. Is her combat pay counted as income?
A: 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 the Meal Benefits Office for more information.
Q: Should I fill out an application if
I received a letter this school year saying my children are approved
for free meals?
A: Please read the letter you got
carefully and follow the instructions. Call the Meal Benefits Office at
414-475-8897 if you have questions.
Nondiscrimination Notice