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Published in The Muskogee Phoenix August 27, 2016
PUBLIC RELEASE 2016·2017
Muskogee County Council of Youth Services
today announced its policy for free or reduced-price meals for children served under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
This public release is on file at the schools and is made available upon request to any interest party.
The income eligibility guidelines listed below will be used to determine eligibility for free and reduced price meal benefits. Children from households whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for free or reduced price meals.
INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES [Effective from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017]
Federal poverty quidelines-130%
Application forms are being sent to all homes with a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free or reduced-price meals, households should fill out the application and return it to the school. Additional copies are available at the principal’s office in each school. The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and may
be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials. Households may submit an application at any time during the year.
For SFA officials to determine eligibility, households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) benefits must list the children’s names, a SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR case number; and the signature of an adult household member. All children in households with any household member receiving benefits under assistance programs are eligible for free meals. Children in Other Source Categorically Eligible (i.e., children categorized as homeless, migrant, runaway, Head Start, Even Start, and foster children, if known) are also eligible for free meals.
DIRECT CERTIFICATION: When known to the school, households will be notified of their children’s eligibility for free meals if they are members of households receiving assistance from SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR. No application is required for free meal benefits for notified households. Households can decline benefits by contacting the SFA.
IF YOU DO NOT LIST A SNAP, TANF, OR FDPIR CASE NUMBER, then the application must have the children’s names, total household members, the amount of income each member received last month, the signature of an adult household member, and the last four digits of the adult’s social security number or the mark the box if he or she does not have one. Foster children also categorically qualify for free meals/milk, regardless of the child’s income. If you have foster children living with you and wish to apply for such meals or milk for them, complete the application as instructed. Under the provisions of the policy, the determining official at the school will review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians wishing to make a formal appeal may make a request either orally or in writing to:
Cindy Perkins,
(918) 682-2841
ifor a hearing to appeal the decision. The school’s policy statement contains an outline of the hearing procedure.
Each school has a copy of the policy which may be reviewed by any interested party.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at
(800) 877- 8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD3027) found online at:
http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaintfilingcust.html. and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call
(866) 632- 9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250 -9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email:
program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
