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Free and Reduced-Price Meals

Children need healthy meals to learn and your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Use the button below to access the online application for free or reduced price meal benefits.

Free & Reduced Lunch Online Application

Forms can be filled out online or physical copies can be obtained and returned (completed) to any school office. You will be notified by mail of your child's status. Until notification you must provide your child with a lunch or lunch money. Only one application per family is needed. The information you give will be used to determine or prove your child's eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals. This information may also be used for other state or federally funded school benefits.

Factors considered in the application process are household size and total household income. HOUSEHOLD SIZE is considered all persons, related or unrelated: Including parents, children, grandparents who live in your home and share living expenses. The TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME is the income each household member received last month before taxes - this includes wages, social security, pension, unemployment, welfare, child support, alimony, and any other cash income.

Foster children are categorically eligible for free meal benefits. An application is not needed yet there does need to be documentation of status by a state or local entity familiar with the child's status. Foster children may be included in the household application as part of the household size.

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Free and Reduced Lunch FAQ

WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS?

  • All children in households receiving benefits from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are eligible for free meals.

  • Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.

  • Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.

  • Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.

  • Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.

Household Size

Yearly Income

Monthly Income

Weekly Income

1

$25,142

$2,096

$484

2

$33,874

$2,823

$652

3

$42,606

$3,551

$820

4

$51,338

$4,279

$988

5

$60,070

$5,006

$1,156

6

$68,802

$5,734

$1,324

7

$77,534

$6,462

$1,492

8

$86,266

$7,189

$1,659

Each Additional Person:

$8,732

$728

$168

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY?

  • Do the members of your household lack a permanent address?

  • Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement?

  • Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis?

  • Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household?

If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please reach out to the Gravette School District Administration Office (479-787-4100).

DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD?

No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information.

SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS?

No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Sheila Roughton using the contact information toward the top of this web page.

CAN I APPLY ONLINE?

Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application.

Free & Reduced Lunch Online Application

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, through the deadline. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price for meals.

I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?

Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please send in an application.

WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?

Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.

IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER?

Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.

WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION?

You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to the District Superintendent.

MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN?

Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals.

WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME?

List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.

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.

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.

WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY?

List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your application.

MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR?

Arkansas SNAP Information
Gravette Food Pantries
AR 211- Bills, Food, Housing Health Help

To find out how to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), contact your local assistance office or call 501-682-8276 or 479-273-9011. If you have other questions or need help, call 479-787-4100 ext. 1101.

Sincerely,
Sheila Roughton

Download FAQ & More Information Document

Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or

  2. Fax:

    • (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

  3. Email:

 This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

02/15/2023