National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program
2021-22 Letter to Households (SSO Schools)
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Due to the public health emergency, USDA has given schools the flexibility to operate the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) in school year 2021-22.
School/School District operating SSO will offer meals each school day at no charge to all students. In anticipation of a return to normal child nutrition program operations and the potential expansion of P-EBT into SY 21-22, we are encouraging families to complete and submit an application for free or reduced price meals.
Who should fill out an application?
Fill out the application if:
· Total household income is the SAME or LESS than the amount on the chart.
· You receive Basic Food, take part in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for your children.
· You are applying for foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court.
Turn in the application to YOUR YOUNGEST CHILD’S SCHOOL KITCHEN.
Be sure to submit ONLY ONE application per household. We will notify you if the application is approved or denied. If any child you are applying for is homeless (McKinney-Vento), or migrant, check the appropriate box.
What counts as income? Who is considered a member of my household?
Look at the income chart below. Find your household size. Find your total household income. If members in the household are paid at different times during the month and you are unsure if your household is eligible, fill out an application and we will determine your income eligibility for you. The information you give will be used to determine your child's eligibility for free or reduced-price meals.
| Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals regardless of personal use income. If you have questions about applying for meal benefits for foster children, please contact us at 425-385-4380. |
USDA Child Nutrition Program Income Guidelines
Effective July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022 | |||||
Household
Size | Annual
| Monthly
| Twice Per Month
| Every Two Weeks
| Weekly
|
1
| $23,828
| $1,986
| $993
| $917
| $459
|
2
| $32,227
| $2,686
| $1,343
| $1,240
| $620
|
3
| $40,626
| $3,386
| $1,693
| $1,563
| $782
|
4
| $49,025
| $4,086
| $2,043
| $1,886
| $943
|
5
| $57,424
| $4,786
| $2,393
| $2,209
| $1,105
|
6
| $65,823
| $5,486
| $2,743
| $2,532
| $1,266
|
7
| $74,222
| $6,186
| $3,093
| $2,855
| $1,428
|
8
| $82,621
| $6,886
| $3,443
| $3,178
| $1,589
|
For each add’l family member, add:
| $8,399
| $700
| $350
| $324
| $162
|
A.
B. For households not getting any assistance:
· Student name(s)
· Names of all household members
· Income by source for all household members
· Adult household member's signature
· Last 4 digits of social security number of the adult household member who signs the application (or if the adult signing does not have a social security number, check the associated box).
Complete Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; Part 6 is optional.
B. For households with only foster child(ren)
· Student’s name
· Adult household member signature
Complete Parts 1 and 5. Part 6 is optional. You may also send the school a copy of the court documentation showing the foster child(ren) was/were placed with you instead of filling out an application form.
Last 4 digits of SSN are not required for B.
C.
D. For a family getting Basic Food/TANF/FDPIR:
· List all student names
· Enter a case number
· Adult household member's signature
Complete Parts 1, 2, 4, and 5. Part 6 is optional.
Last 4 digits of SSN are not required for C.
D. For household with a foster child(ren) and other children:
Apply as a household and include foster children. Follow the directions for “A. For households not getting any assistance:” and include the foster child’s personal use income.
Do my children automatically qualify if they have a case number?
Yes. Children on TANF or Basic Food may get free meals and children receiving some Medicaid benefits may be eligible for free or reduced price meals without the household having to complete an application. These children are identified by the school using a data matching process. This matched list is then made available to your child’s school food service staff. The students on this list get free meals if their schools have the free and reduced-price breakfast and/or lunch program (not all schools do). Please contact us immediately if you feel your children should be receiving free meals and are not. If you do not want your child to participate in the free meal programs using this method, please notify the school.
If anyone in my household has a case number, will all children qualify for free meals?
Yes. If someone else in the household has a case number, other than a foster child, you must fill out an application and send it to your student’s school. Please contact us immediately if you feel other children in your household should be receiving free meals and are not.
Basic Food - Can I qualify for assistance in buying food?
Basic Food is the state’s food stamp program. It helps households make ends meet by providing monthly benefits to buy food. Getting Basic Food is easy! You can apply in person at the local DSHS Community Service Office, by mail, or online. There are other benefits too. You can learn about Basic Food by calling 1-877-501-2233 or by logging on to
https://www.dshs.wa.gov/esa/community-services-offices/basic-food
.
We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
My child’s application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out a new 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.
What if some household members have no income to report?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
Health Coverage
To inquire about or apply for health care coverage for kids in your family, please visit
http://www.wahealthplanfinder.org
or you may call Washington Health Plan Finder at 1-855-923-4633.
What if my child needs special foods?
If your child needs special foods, contact the school/district food service office.
Proof of Eligibility
The information you provide may be verified at any time. You may be asked to send additional information to prove your child is eligible to receive free and reduced-price meals.
Fair Hearing
If you do not agree with the decision on your child's application or the process used to prove income eligibility, you may talk with Jeff Moore, the fair hearing official. You have the right to a fair hearing which may be arranged by calling the school/school district at this number 425-385-4380.
Reapplication
You may apply for benefits any time during the school year. If you should have a decrease in household income, an increase in household size, or become unemployed, or receive Basic Food, TANF, or FDPIR, you may be eligible for benefits and may fill out an application at that time.