FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FREE AND REDUCED PRICE SCHOOL MEALS

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1 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FREE AND REDUCED PRICE SCHOOL MEALS Dear Parent/Guardian: Students need heathy meas to earn. Hobbs Municipa Schoos offers heathy meas every schoo day. Breakfast is free for a students. Your students may quaify for free meas or for reduced price meas. Paid unch is $2.25 and reduced unch is $.40 daiy. This packet incuded an appication for free or reduced price mea benefits, and a set of detaied instructions. Beow are some common questions and answers to hep you with the appication process. 1. WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS? A students in househods receiving benefits from New Mexico SNAP, {the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or New Mexico TANF, are eigibe for free meas. Foster chidren that are under the ega responsibiity of a foster care agency or court are eigibe for free meas. Student Participation in their schoo s Head Start program are eigibe for free meas. Students who meet the definition of homeess, runaway, or migrant are eigibe for free meas. Students may receive free or reduced price meas if your househod Doar income is within the imits on the Federa Income Eigibiity Guideines. Your chidren may quaify for free or reduced price meas. FEDERAL ELIGIBILITY INCOME CHART For Schoo Year Househod Size Monthy Twice a Month Every Two Weeks Weeky Each Additiona HOW DO I KNOW IF MY STUDENTS QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, HIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY? Do the members of your househod ack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a sheter, hote, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your famiy reocate on a seasona basis? Are any students iving with you who have chosen to eave their prior famiy or househod? If you beieve students in your househod meet these descriptions and haven t been tod your students wi get free meas, pease ca or E-mai HMS Centra Office ( ) and ask for the homeess iaison or migrant coordinator. 3. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH STUDENT? No Use One Free and Reduced Price Schoo Meas Appication for a students in your househod. We cannot approve an appication that is not compete, so be sure to fi out a required information. Return the competed appication to your student s schoo cafeteria or the HMS Nutritiona Services Office/ Centra Kitchen adjacent to the Freshman High Schoo Commons. 4. IF THIS IS A HOUSEHOLD S FIRST YEAR WITH THE HOBBS MUNICIPAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, students in that househod wi be considered in the Fu Paid category unti a current Student Mea Benefit appication is received and processed.

2 5. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY STUDENT(S) ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS? No, but pease read the etter you got carefuy and foow the instructions. If any students in your househod were missing from your eigibiity notification etter, you must submit an appication for that student or contact Nutritiona Services Offices ( ). 6. CAN I APPLY ONLINE? Yes! You are encouraged to compete an onine appication instead of a paper appication. The onine appication has the same requirements and wi ask you for the same information as the paper appication. Visit to begin or to earn more about the onine appication process. Contact HMSNS ( ) if you have any questions about the onine appication. 7. MY STUDENT S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE? Yes, Your student s appication is ony good for the schoo year in which it was processed and for the first 30 caendar days of the new schoo year. You must submit a new househod appication, uness your househod has received a notice from Nutritiona Services Department. If you do not submit a new schoo year appication that has been approved by the Nutritiona Services Department, your student wi be changed to fu price for meas. 8. I GET WIC. CAN MY STUDENTS GET FREE MEALS? Students in househods participating in WIC may be eigibe; but are not automaticay, quaified for free or reduced price meas. Pease send in a househod appication. 9. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED? Yes, We may ask you to send written proof of the househod income you report. 10. IF MY HOUSEHOLD DOES NOT QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER? YES. A househod may appy at any time during the schoo year. For exampe, a househod where a parent or guardian becomes unempoyed, may become eigibe for free and reduced price meas, if the househod income drops beow the income imit. If the number of househod member s increase, that coud aso cause a change in househod eigibiity for free and reduced price meas. 11. WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION? You shoud tak to schoo officias. You aso may ask for a hearing by caing or writing to: DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, HMS Centra Office, P.O. Box 1030, Hobbs, NM MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN? Yes, You, your students, or other househod members do not have to be U.S. Citizens to appy for free or reduced price meas. 13. WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME? List the amount that you normay receive. For exampe, if you normay make $1000 each month, but you missed some work ast month and ony made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normay get overtime, incude it; but, do not incude it if you ony work overtime sometimes. If you have ost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income. 14. WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT? Househod members may not receive some types of income that we ask you to report on the appication or may not receive income at a. Whenever this happens, pease write a 0 in the fied. However, if any income fieds are eft empty or bank, those wi aso be counted as zeroes. Pease be carefu when eaving income fieds bank, as we wi assume you meant to enter a 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 vaue aowances for off-base housing, food, or cothing, it must aso be incuded as income. However, if your housing is part of the Miitary Hosing Privatization Initiative, do not incude your housing aowance as income. Any additiona combat pay resuting from depoyment is aso excuded from income. 16. WHAT IF THERE ISN T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY HOUSEHOLD? List any additiona househod members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your appication. 17. MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR? To find out how to appy for New Mexico SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your oca assistance office or ca If you have other questions or need hep, ca: Nutritiona Services Department Offices (Inside the Freshman High Commons) P.O. Box 1030 Hobbs, N.M

3 Hobbs Municipa Schoos Appication for Free and Reduced Price Schoo Lunch Compete one appication per househod. Pease use a pen (not a penci). Breakfast is provided at no cost to a students STEP 1 Pease read How to Appy for Free and Reduced Price Schoo Meas for more information.. Chidren in Foster Care [a chid who is the ega responsibiity of a wefare agency or court], Homeess, Migrant or Runaway are eigibe for free meas. STEP 2 Student? For Use by Schoo Staff Ony C Foster Chid s First Name Chid s Last Name Grade Schoo Yes No Student ID Number If you answered NO > Compete STEP 3. If you answered YES > Write a case number here, then go to STEP 4 (Do not compete STEP 3) STEP 3 Definition of Househod Member: Anyone who is iving with you and shares income and expenses, even if not reated. The Sources of Income for Chidren section on the How to Appy for Meas Handout wi hep you with the Chid Income question. List ALL Househod Members who are infants, chidren, students up to and incuding grade 12 (if more spaces are required, attach another sheet of paper) Do any Househod Members (incuding you) currenty participate in one or more of the foowing assistance programs: SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR? Circe one: NO / YES (Skip this step if you answered Yes to STEP 2 GO TO STEP 4) Case Number: Report Income for ALL Househod Members (Skip this step if you answered Yes to STEP 2) Report Income for ALL Househod Members A. Chid Income Sometimes chidren in the househod earn income. Pease incude the TOTAL income earned by a Househod Members isted in STEP 1 here B. A Adut Househod Members (incuding yoursef) Chid income Weeky Bi-Weeky 2x Month Monthy List a Househod Members not isted in STEP 1 (incuding yoursef) even if they do not receive income. For each Househod Member isted, if they do receive income, report tota income for each source in whoe doars ony. If they do not receive income from any source, write 0. If you enter 0 or eave any fieds bank, you are certifying that there is no income to report. How often? Pubic Assistance How often? Pensions/Retirement/ How often? Earnings from Work Chid Support A Other Income Name of ADULT Househod Members (First and Last) Weeky Bi-Weeky 2x Month Monthy Weeky Bi-Weeky 2x Month Monthy Weeky Bi-Weeky 2x Month Monthy Aimony - TOTAL $ TOTAL Chid Write ony one case number in this space. How often? i c k a t h a t a p p y Homeess, Migrant, Runaway The Sources of Income for Aduts section on the How to Appy for Meas Handout wi hep you with the Adut Income question. Tota Househod Members (Chidren and Aduts) Last Four Digits of Socia Security Number (SSN) of Primary Wage Earner or Other Adut Househod Member X X X X X Check if no SSN STEP 4 Contact information and adut and adut signature. signature Mai Competed Form To: HMS Nutritiona Services, P.O. Box 1030, Hobbs, N.M / (575) I certify (promise) that a information on this appication is true and that a income is reported. I understand that this information is given in connection with the receipt of Federa funds, and that schoo officias may verify (check) the information. I am aware that if I purposey give fase information, my chidren may ose mea benefits, and I may be prosecuted under appicabe State and Federa aws. Street Address (if avaiabe) Apt # City State Zip Daytime Phone and Emai (optiona) Printed name of adut competing the form Signature of adut competing the form Today s date

4 INSTRUCTIONS Sources of Income Sources of Chid Income Sources of Income for Chidren Exampe(s) Earnings from work A chid has a job where they earn a saary or wages. Socia Security o Disabiity Payments A chid is bind or disabed and receives Socia Security benefits. o Survivor s Benefits A parent is disabed, retired, or deceased, and their chid receives socia security benefits. Income from persons outside the househod A friend or extended famiy member reguary gives a chid spending money. Income from any other source OPTIONAL Chidren's Racia and Ethnic Identities A chid receives income from a private pension fund, annuity, or trust. Sources of Income for Aduts Earnings from Work Pubic Assistance / Aimony / Chid - Saary, wages, cash bonuses - Net income from sef- empoyment (farm or business) If you are in the U.S. Miitary: - Basic pay and cash bonuses (do NOT incude combat pay, FSSA or privatized housing aowances) - Aowances for off-base housing, food and cothing - Unempoyment benefits - Worker s compensation - Suppementa Security Income (SSI) - Cash assistance from State or oca government - Aimony payments - Chid support payments - Veteran s benefits - Strike benefits Pensions / Retirement / A Other Income - Socia Security (incuding rairoad retirement and back ung benefits) - Private pensions or disabiity benefits - Reguar income from trusts or estates - Annuities - Investment income - Earned interest - Renta income - Reguar cash payments from outside househod We are required to ask for information about your chidren s race and ethnicity. This information is important and heps to make sure we are fuy serving our community. Responding to this section is optiona and does not affect your chidren s eigibiity for free or reduced price meas. Ethnicity (check one): Race (check one or more): Hispanic or Latino Not Hispanic or Latino American Indian or Aaskan Native Asian Back or African American Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Isander White The Richard B. Russe Nationa Schoo Lunch Act requires the information on this appication. You do not have to give the information, but if you do not, we cannot approve your chid for free or reduced price meas. You must incude the ast four digits of the socia security number of the adut househod member who signs the appication. The ast four digits of the socia security number is not required when you appy on behaf of a foster chid or you ist a Suppementa Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Famiies (TANF) Program or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) case number or other FDPIR identifier for your chid or when you indicate that the adut househod member signing the appication does not have a socia security number. We wi use your information to determine if your chid is eigibe for free or reduced price meas, and for administration and enforcement of the unch and breakfast programs. We MAY share your eigibiity information with education, heath, and nutrition programs to hep them evauate, fund, or determine benefits for their programs, auditors for program reviews, and aw enforcement officias to hep them ook into vioations of program rues. In accordance with Federa civi rights aw and U.S. Department of Agricuture (USDA) civi rights reguations and poicies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and empoyees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, coor, nationa origin, sex, disabiity, age, or reprisa or retaiation for prior civi rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabiities who require aternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braie, arge print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), shoud contact the Agency (State or oca) where they appied for benefits. Individuas who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabiities may contact USDA through the Federa Reay Service at (800) Additionay, program information may be made avaiabe in anguages other than Engish. To fie a program compaint of discrimination, compete the USDA Program Discrimination Compaint Form, (AD-3027) found onine at: and at any USDA office, or write a etter addressed to USDA and provide in the etter a of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the compaint form, ca (866) Submit your competed form or etter to USDA by: mai: U.S. Department of Agricuture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civi Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C fax: (202) ; or emai: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equa opportunity provider. Do not fi out Annua Income Conversion: Weeky x 52, Every 2 Weeks x 26, Twice a Month x 24 Monthy x 12 Tota Income For Schoo Use Ony How often? Weeky Bi-Weeky 2x Month Monthy Househod Size Categorica Eigibiity Eigibiity: Free Reduced Denied Determining Officia s Signature Date Confirming Officia s Signature Date Verifying Officia s Signature Date

5 H O B B S M U N I C I P A L S C H O O L S A c h i d r e n w i e a r n. NOW AVAILABLE! ONLINE PAYMENTS FOR FOOD SERVICE HOBBS MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS HAS PROVIDED PARENTS WITH AN EASY WAY TO ADD MONEY TO THEIR CHILD S FOOD SERVICE ACCOUNT. ONLINE PAYMENTS CAN BE MADE INTO FOOD SERVICES ACCOUNTS THROUGH THE SKYWARD FAMILY ACCESS PARENT PORTAL THEY CURRENTLY USE. WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH REVTRAK, A NATION CREDIT CARD PAYMENT PROCESSOR, TO PROVIDE A SECURE SITE FOR MAKING PAYMENTS. Easy and Convenient Onine Payments! Parents can make onine payments from home or work, 24/7. If their chid s food service baance is ow, it ony takes a few minutes to add money to it using their Discover, Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card. Payments are made through the student s Skyward Famiy Access account. To make onine payments: 1. Visit our district website 2. Cick on Skyward 3. Contact chid s Schoo secretary for: A. Log in Name and Password for the Skyward Famiy Access Parent Porta 4. Log in to Skyward Famiy Access (you wi need your Login and Password) 5. Use your Discover, Visa or MasterCard (Debit or Credit Card) Payments made through Skyward Famiy Access wi immediatey be posted to the student s food service account. RevTrak does charge a per transaction fee to your credit card. Hobbs Municipa Schoos 1401 E. Sanger - (Freshman Commons Entrance) Hobbs, NM (575) Pease see other side for detaied onine payment instructions.

6 Famiy Access Mea Payment Instructions 1. Login to Skyward Famiy Access 2. Seect Food Service from Genera Information menu on the eft 3. View Baance and Seect Make Onine Payment 4. Enter payment amount and seect Go to Checkout 5. If a new customer, seect I am a new customer and enter your e-mai address. If a returning customer seect I am a returning customer and enter your e-mai address and password. Seect Sign in. 6. Enter your Biing Information, 7. Payment Information, and create a password. 8. Verify information for accuracy and seect Compete Order 9. Payment wi be processed and Receipt can be viewed and printed. 10. Logout