Office of Food Services -- Free & Reduced Price School Meals
	Eileen M. Bellew, MA, RD, LDN, Director of Food Services, 610-359-4275

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Children need healthy meals to learn. Marple Newtown School District offers healthy meals every school day. Lunch costs $2.50 for elementary; $2.75 for middle school; and $3.00 for high school. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is .40 cents for lunch.

Since 1946, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has provided nutritional lunches to children in participating schools. In 2004, over 94,600 schools (grades K-12) participated in the NSLP. Any student in these schools can get lunch through the NSLP regardless of the student's household income. Depending on guidelines based on household income and size, eligible students may receive free or reduced-price lunches.(Click here for a copy of the income eligibility guidelines) In 2004, school cafeterias served over 4.8 billion lunches. The Marple-Newtown School District is happy to participate in the NSLP.

Free or Reduced Price Meal Application Form

1. Do I need to fill out an application for each child?  No. Complete the application to apply for free or reduced price meals. 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. Return the completed application to: Office of Food Service, 38 Media Line Road, Room 207, Newtown Square, Pa 19073 or submit in a sealed envelop to your child’s school.   Families can also apply online for free or reduced school meals, and other assistance benefits, at www.compass.state.pa.us.

2. Who can get free meals? All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and most foster children 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 Guidelines.

3. Can homeless, runaway, and migrant children get free meals? If you haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail ebellew@mnsd.org  to see if they qualify.

4. 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 Guidelines.

5. Should I fill out an application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are approved for free meals? Please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. Call the school at  610.359.4275, if you have questions.

6. 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 the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year.

7. 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.

8. Will the information I give be checked? Yes and we may also ask you to send written proof.

9. If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later? Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year.

10. 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: Mr. Joseph Driscoll, Business Administrator, 38 Media Line Road, Newtown Square, Pa 19073.

11. 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 U.S. citizens to qualify for free or reduced price meals.

12. 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 living with you.

13. 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. 

14. We are in the military. do we include our housing allowance as 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.

15. My spouse is deployed to a combat zone. is her combat pay counted as income?  No, if the combat pay is received in addition to her basic pay because of her deployment and it wasn’t received before she was deployed, combat pay is not counted as income.  Contact your school for more information.

16. 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 county assistance office or call 1-800-692-7462 (1-800-451-5886 TDD number for individuals with hearing impairments).  

If you have other questions or need help, call 610.359.4275.
Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame al teléfono: 610.359.4275.
Si vous voudriez d’aide, contactez nous au numero: 610.359.4275.