Free/Reduced Application

Free/Reduced Meal Application

Apply for free/reduced meals online! Although breakfasts and lunches are free for some schools through the CEP, it is still extremely important for families to complete the free/reduced application in order to receive additional benefits for your student and their school!

Click on the button to apply today! If you have questions please call 812-435-8258.

Free/reduced applications must be completed each school year.

Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents.

Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay a full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent.

After school snacks are provided to children on the same income eligibility basis as school meals. However, programs that operate in areas where at least 50 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced price meals may serve all their snacks for free.

Parents may apply for free or reduced priced meals online or request a paper application from your student's school.

What do I need to have to apply?

Why should I apply?

Free & reduced meal applications help with more than just meals even if you're student is receiving free meals at their school through the Community Eligible Provision (CEP). Other reasons to apply include:

Internet Access - eligible for discounted Internet access
SAT, ACT, AP Fees - Discounted fees for academic testing and academic school fee waiver
School Funding - maintain funding for student programs and services
College Application Fees - Discount on fees associated with applying for college.

Participation in the School Nutrition Programs

EVSC will make every attempt to honor the intent of parents for their children regarding participation in the school nutrition programs. In cases where a parent or guardian desires their student not participate in the program (breakfast or lunch), the following terms apply:

A note, signed by the parent or guardian, must be on file in the Office of Food and Nutrition and the cafeteria office of the student’s school stating the parent's/guardian’s wishes. This note must be renewed at the beginning of each school year should the parent wish such terms to continue.
The parent or guardian is then responsible for providing meals for their student.
EVSC reserves the right to act in the best interest of the student in cases where, for example, a student is in attendance without access to a proper meal. In such cases, EVSC will make every attempt to contact the parent or guardian before providing a meal to the student. In this example, should the parent or guardian not immediately be available to contact, EVSC will provide a meal to the student for which the parent will then be financially responsible.

Free/Reduced FAQs

Who can get free or reduced meals?

All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP (Food Stamps) or TANF, 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. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.

Household Size	Yearly	Monthly	Twice Per Year	Every 2 weeks	Weekly
1	28,953	2,413	1,207	1,114	557
2	39,128	3,261	1,631	1,505	753
3	49,303	4,109	2,055	1,897	949
4	59,478	4,957	2,479	2,288	1,144
5	69,653	5,805	2,903	2,679	1,340
6	79,828	6,653	3,327	3,071	1,536
7	90,003	7,501	3,751	3,462	1,731
8	100,178	8,349	4,175	3,853	1,927
For each Additional Person	+10,175	+848	+424	+392	+196

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 and textbooks, please call 812-435-8258 or email us.

Do I need to fill out an application for each child?

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 the school year and for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless you have received a Notification of Eligibility Letter for the current school year from the Office of Food and Nutrition. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the Office of Food and Nutrition or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price of meals and textbooks.

Should I fill out an application if my children received free or reduced meals at their previous school?

I get WIC. Can my children get free meals?

Will the information I give be checked?

If I don't qualify now, may I apply later?

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?

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.