Dear Parent/Guardian:

Children need healthy meals to learn. Gates Chili Central School District offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $2.00; lunch costs $3.20. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-priced meals. Beginning July 1, 2019, students in New York State that are approved for reduced-price meals will receive breakfast and lunch meals and snacks served through the Afterschool Snack Program at no charge.

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: Gates Chili School Nutrition Department, 2 Spartan Way, Rochester NY 14624.
   
   
2. WHO CAN GET FREE MEALS?
   All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations or TANF, can get free meals regardless of your income. Categorical eligibility for free meal benefits is extended to all children in a household when the application lists an Assistance Program’s case number for any household member. Also, your children can get free meals if your household’s gross income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Households with children who are categorically eligible through an Other Source Categorically Eligible designation, as defined by law, may be eligible for free benefits and should contact the SFA for assistance in receiving benefits.
   
   
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 regardless of income. Foster children may also be included as a member of the foster family if the foster family chooses to also apply for benefits for other children. Including children in foster care as household members may help other children in the household qualify for benefits. If non-foster children in a foster family are not eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits, an eligible foster child will still receive free benefits.
   
   
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 student will get free meals, please call or e-mail Angelina Pound, Coordinator of Student and Family Support Services appound@gateschili.org to see if they qualify.
   
   
5. WHO CAN GET REDUCED PRICE MEALS?
   Your children may be approved as reduced price eligible if your household income is within the reduced-price limits on the Federal Eligibility Income Chart, shown on this letter. Beginning July 1, 2019, students in New York State that are approved for reduced-price meals will receive breakfast and lunch meals and snacks served through the Afterschool Snack Program at no charge.
   
   
6. 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 (585) 247-7213 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 up to the first 30 operating days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school tells you 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 a free and reduced-price meal application.
   
   
9. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?
   Yes, and we may also ask you to send written proof.
   
   
10. 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 become unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
    
    
11. 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: Dr. Mitchell Ball, Assistant Superintendent for Business, 3 Spartan Way, Rochester NY 14624.
    
    
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 U.S. citizens 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) who share income and expenses. You must include yourself and all the 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.
    
    
14. 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.
    
    
15. 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.
    
    
16. 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.
    
    
17. 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 1-800-342-3009.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   Program.Intake@usda.gov 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Please reach out to us with any questions.

Sincerely,

Janice Phillips
School Nutrition Director
Gates Chili Central School District
(585) 247-7213