Buckingham County Public Schools today announced its pol-icy for providing free or reduced price meals for children served under the National School Lunch, and/or School Breakfast Pro-grams. Each school and/or central school nutrition office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

Household size and income will be used to determine eligibil-ity for free or reduced price meal benefits. Children from house-holds whose income is at or below the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines, shown in the chart below, may be eligible for either free or reduced price meals. Children who are members of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Pro-gram (SNAP) benefits (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) may be automatically eligible for free meals. Children who are homeless, migrant, or runaway may also be automatically eligible for free meals. Foster children, who are the legal responsibility of a wel-fare agency or court, are eligible for free meals regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside. Children who are members of households participating in WIC may also be eligible for free or reduced-price meals based on the household's income.

Household Maximum Household Household Income For

Size Income For Free Meals Reduced Price Meals

1 $14,157 $14,157.01 – $20,147

2 $19,123 $19,123.01 – $27,214

3 $24,089 $24,089.01 – $34,281

4 $29,055 $29,055.01 – $41,348

5 $34,021 $34,021.01 – $48,415

6 $38,987 $38,987.01 – $55,482

7 $43,953 $43,953.01 – $62,549

8 $48,919 $48,919.01 – $69,616

For Each Additional

Family Member

– ADD +$4,966 +$7,067

Application forms are being distributed to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free or reduced price meals for their children. Applications are also available at the principal's office in each school and at the central office. To apply for free or reduced price meals, households must only fill out one application per household and return it to the school division. Applications may be submitted at any time during the school year. The information households provide on the applica-tion will be used for determining eligibility and verification of data. Applications may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials. For school officials to determine eligibility for free or reduced price benefits, house-holds receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) only have to list their child(ren)'s name and SNAP or TANF case number and an adult household member must sign the application. Households who do not list a SNAP or TANF case number, including WIC house-holds, must list the names of all household members, the amount and frequency of the income received by each household member, and the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application. If the household member does not have a social security number, the household member must indicate that a social security number is not available. The application must be signed by an adult household member in order to be approved.

Under the provisions of the free and reduced price meal pol-icy,

School Food Service Supervisor

will review applications and determine eligibility. An applica-tion for free or reduced price meals cannot be approved unless it is complete. Households dissatisfied with the ruling of the eligi-bility determining official may wish to discuss the decision with the official on an informal basis. Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either verbally or in writing to:

Ivan P. Davis, Jr.

15595 W. James Anderson Hwy.

Buckingham, VA 23921 434-969-7394

Households may apply for free or reduced price meals at any time during the school year. If a household is not eligible now but has a change, such as a decrease in household income, an increase in household size, becomes unemployed or qualifies for SNAP or TANF, the household should contact the school for an application. Such changes may make the children of the house-hold eligible for benefits if the household's income falls at or be-low the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.