Free and Reduced Meal Application and Letter to Household

Children need healthy meals to learn. Gwinnett County Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.75; lunch costs $2.50 for elementary and $2.75 at middle and high schools. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. The reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch. This packet includes an application for free or reduced-price meal benefits and a set of detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.

Who can get FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS?

Household Size

Income Guidelines for Reduced-Price Meals

Income Guidelines for Free Meals

Annual Monthly

Twice Per Month

FOR EACH ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBER ADD:

9,953

830

415

383

192

6,994

583

292

269

135

CONVERTING INCOME TO ANNUAL:

Weekly x 52 Every 2 weeks x 26 Twice a month x 24 Monthly x 12

Five Reasons to Complete a Free & Reduced Meal Application

1. Free or reduced meal prices for a healthy, nutritious student meal.

2. Additional funding for technology and internet access.

3. Discounts on fees associated with the college application process.

4. Discounted fees for SAT, ACT, and AP exams along with other scholarship opportunities.

5. Increased funding to support education.

Frequently asked questions about FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE SCHOOL MEALS

  1. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, RUNAWAY OR HEADSTART? Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or another 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 call School Nutrition Office (678-301-6307), Homeless Liaison (678-301-6882), or Migrant Coordinator (404-272-8762) or e-mail SNP Free & Reduced
  2. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD? No, you can use one Free and Reduced Price School Meal Application for allstudents in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to any school cafeteria or mail to GCPS-SNP, 437 Old Peachtree Road, NW, Suwanee, GA 30024.
  3. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS?No. Please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact School Nutrition Office at 678-301-6307 or e-mail SNP Free & Reduced immediately.
  4. CAN I APPLY ONLINE?Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit SY25 Online Free & Reduced Application to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact School Nutrition Office at 678- 301-6307 or e-mail SNP Free & Reduced if you have any questions about the online application.
  5. MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST SCHOOL 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 September 16, 2024. 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.
  6. I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS? Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price. Please send in an application.
  7. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED? We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
  8. 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.
  9. 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: School Nutrition Office at 678-301-6307 or e-mail SNP Free & Reduced
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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, or receive Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance payments, 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.
  14. 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. Contact any school cafeteria, School Nutrition Office at 678-301-6307 or email SNP Free & Reduced to receive a second application.
  15. MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR? To find out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-877-423-4746.
  16. HOW DO I GET RESULTS? To check the application status: Check Application Status You will need your child’s Gwinnett County student ID number.

If you have other questions or need help, call 678-301-6307; Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame al teléfono: 678-301-6307; Si vous voudriez d’aide, contactez nous au numero:678-301-6307.

If you have other questions or need this information in other languages, please call the School Nutrition Office at 678-301-6307 for assistance.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.