Free & Reduced Information

 

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Dear Parents & Guardians,

Children need healthy meals to learn. Charlotte County Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.10 at all schools. Lunch costs $2.00 at elementary schools and $2.30 at secondary schools. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch at all schools.

To apply for free or reduced price meals, use the Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application, which is available on this web site at the Print Application link above. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to Champ's Cafe, 1016 Education Avenue, Punta Gorda, FL 33950.

Should you have any questions, please call the Champ's Cafe office at 941-575-5400 and ask for Terri White, our free and reduced-price meal program expert. Thank you for your cooperation!

Sincerely,

Terri Whitacre

Director of Food & Nutrition Services

Charlotte County Public Schools

 

Your Circumstances:

What you should do:

You received a letter after July 1, 2011, telling you that your children qualified for free meals.
DO NOT COMPLETE ANOTHER APPLICATION. Your children are free for the entire school year.
You received a letter after July 1, 2011, telling you that your children qualified for reduced meals, and your circumstances have changed (decrease in income and/or increase in number of people living in your house).

Complete and return an application with your current information to the school office or mail to:

Champ's Café
1016 Education Avenue
Punta Gorda, FL 33950

You didn't previously qualify for free or reduced meals, but you believe that you now qualify.

Complete and return an application with your current information to the school office or mail to:

Champ's Café
1016 Education Avenue
Punta Gorda, FL 33950

 

 

If my child
Provide the following information
Receives TANF (Temporary Aid for Needy Families) or Food Stamps
•  List each child's name, school, grade, and birthdate
•  TANF or Food Stamp number of each child
•  Signature of adult household member.
•  A social security number is not necessary.
Does not receive Food Stamps or TANF
•  List each child's name, school, grade, and birthdate– list all children together including foster children and their personal use income.
•  List names of each person living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends). You must include yourself and all children.
•  List the amount and source of each household member's income and how often it is received.*
•  Signature of an adult household member and the last 4 digits of that adult's social security number. If the adult household member signing the application does not have a social security number, check the box or write “none.”

* List the amount and type (Ex: wages, SSI, child support, etc.) of each household member's income and how often it is received (Ex: weekly, every 2 weeks, twice a month, monthly, or yearly).

 

List the gross amount and source of each household member's income and how often it is receive . Gross income is the amount earned before taxes and deductions—it is not the same as take home pay . It should be listed on your pay stub, or your boss can tell you.

Check the box that shows how often the person is paid (weekly, every 2 weeks, twice a month, monthly, or yearly).

 

List the dollar amount each person receives and how often it is received from all other sources . Include welfare, child support, alimony, pensions, retirement, social security, worker's compensation, unemployment, strike benefits, supplemental security income (SSI), veteran's benefits (VA benefits), disability benefits, regular contributions from people who do not live in your household, and ANY OTHER INCOME. Other income includes cash amounts received or withdrawn from any source, including savings, investments, trust accounts, and other resources which are available for payment of a child's meals. Report net income for self-owned business, farm, or rental income.

Next to the amount, write how often the person received the income ( weekly , every 2 weeks, twice a month , monthly, or yearly ). Only self-employed, migrant, and seasonal employees can report yearly income.

_______________________________________________

1. Do I need to fill out an application for each child? No. Complete one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household.

2. Who can get free meals? Children in households getting Florida Food Stamps, TANF or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. Also, your children can get free price meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines.

3. Can Foster Children get free meals? Yes, foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals. Any foster child in the household is eligible for free meals. If you haven’t been told that your children will get free meals, call Champ’s Café at 941-575-5400 ext. 109.

4. Can Homeless, Runaway, and Migrant Children get free meals? Yes, children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant qualify for free meals. If you haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call Lucy Garner (941) 255-7480 to see if they qualify.  

5. Who can get reduced price meals? Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced price limits on the Federal Income Chart, shown on this application. Any benefits approved will be good for an entire school year.

6. Should I fill out an application if I got a letter this school year saying my children are approved for free or reduced price meals? Please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. Call Champ’s Café at 941-575-5400 if you have questions.

7. My child’s application was approved last year, do I need to fill out another 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 you received a letter stating that your child is eligible for the new school year.

8. I get WIC. Can my child(ren) get free meals? Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please fill out an application.

9. Will the information I give be checked? Yes, we may ask you to send written proof at any time during the school year.

10. I f I don’t qualify now, may I apply later? Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start getting Food Stamps,TANF or other benefits. If you lose your job, your children may be able to get free or reduced price meals.

11. What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application ? You should talk to Champ’s Cafe, 941-575-5400. You also may ask for a hearing by writing to Terri Whitacre, 1016 Education Avenue, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, or calling 941-575-5400.

12. May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced price meals.

13. Who should I include as members of my household? You must include all people living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends). You must include yourself and all children who live with you.

14. What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally get. For example, if you normally get $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime include it, but not if you get it only sometimes.

15. We are in the military; do we include our housing allowance as income? If your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. All other allowances must be included in your gross income.

16. If a service member is deployed to a combat zone, is the combat pay counted as income? No, if the combat pay is received in addition to basic pay because of deployment and wasn’t received before deployment, combat pay is not counted as income. Contact Champ’s Café (941) 575-5400 for more information.

17. My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for? To find out how to apply for Florida SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-866-762-2237.

 

If you have other questions or need help, call 941-575-5400

Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame al telefono 941-575-5400

Si vous voudriez d’aide, contactez nous au numero 941-575-5400

 

We will contact you when your application is approved or denied. If you have any questions, please call Champ’s Café at (941) 575-5400 x109

Sincerely,

 

Terri Whitacre

Director Food & Nutrition Services

 

 

INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

EFFECTIVE FROM JULY 1, 2O11 TO JUNE 30, 2012


HOUSEHOLD

 

 

TWICE PER

EVERY 2

 

SIZE

ANNUAL

MONTHLY

MONTH

WEEKS

WEEKLY

1

20,147

1,679

840

775

388

2

27,214

2,268

1,134

1,047

524

3

34,281

2,857

1,429

1,319

660

4

41,348

3,446

1,723

1,591

796

5

48,415

4,035

2,018

1,863

932

6

55,482

4,624

2,312

2,134

1,067

7

62,549

5,213

2,607

2,406

1,203

8

69,616

5,802

2,901

2,678

1,339

For each add'l family member, add

7,067

589

295

272

136

 

 

Non-discrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly. In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice).  Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).   USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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