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. If you complete a paper Multi-Child Application for Meal Benefits, return the completed application to: Food and Nutrition Services, 7720 W. Oakland Park Boulevard, Suite #204, Sunrise, Florida, 33351 or your child’s school.

All children in households receiving benefits from Florida SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Florida TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or the FDPIR (the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations), can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, your children can get free meals if your household’s gross income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.

STOP:  If you received a NOTICE OF DIRECT CERTIFICATION for free meals, do not complete the application. But do let Food and Nutrition Services know if any children in your household are not listed on the Notice of Direct Certification letter you received.  See #5 for more information.

• Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals. Foster children may be included as part of a household application, and are eligible for free meals, even if the household does not qualify.
• 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. See #7 for more information.
• Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household gross income falls at or below the limits on the chart below:

Yes, foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court, are eligible for 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 the School Board of Broward County Homeless/Runaway Liaison at 754-321-1566 or Migrant Coordinator at 754-321-1414 to see if they qualify.

Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced price limits on the Federal Eligibility Income Chart, shown on the application.

No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. Call the Food and Nutrition Office at 754-321-0250 or email freereducedmeals@browardschools.com if you have questions.

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 the Food and Nutrition Office told you that your child is eligible for the new school year.

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

Yes, and we may also ask you to send written proof.

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.

You should talk to an official at the Food and Nutrition Services Office. You also may ask for a hearing by calling 754-321-0250 or writing to:

Director of Food and Nutrition Services, 7720 West Oakland Park Blvd, Suite #204, Sunrise, Florida, 33351.

Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be U.S. citizens to qualify for free or reduced price meals.

You must include all people living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends) who share income and expenses. You must include yourself and all children living with you. If you live with other people who are economically independent (for example, people who you do not support, who do not share income with you or your children, and who pay a pro-rated share of expenses), do not include them.

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.

If you get an off-base housing allowance, it must be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income.

No, if the combat pay is received in addition to basic pay because of deployment, and it wasn’t received before your spouse was deployed, combat pay is not counted as income. Contact Food and Nutrition Services for more information.

To find out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-866-762-2237.

Call the Food and Nutrition Services Department, Meal Benefits number 754-321-0250.

The Food and Nutrition Services office should be contacted to obtain refunds for inactive student accounts or families wishing refunds.