Free and Reduced Meals

• All children in households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits are eligible for free meals.

• Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals. 

• 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.

• Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.

Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit the PA Department of Human Services website at www.compass.state.pa.us.

Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other 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, call or email Dr. Bill Battistone at wbattistone@avonworth.k12.pa.us |412-366-7170.

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. You may request a paper application from the school at any time. Return the completed application to: Melissa Schad at mschad@avonworth.k12.pa.us | 412-366-6360 x 1612.

No, but read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification letter, contact Melissa Schad at mschad@avonworth.k12.pa.us | 412-366-6360 x 1612 immediately.

Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application, if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. To access the Free and Reduced Application online, please visit the Compass website.

Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first 30 operating school 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. 

Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. We encourage you to submit an application.

You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Jennifer Sheridan at jsheridan@avonworth.k12.pa.us | 412-369-8738.

Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals. 

List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1,000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you make $1,000 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.

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, write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.

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. 

List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. Contact Melissa Schad at mschad@avonworth.k12.pa.us | 412-366-6360 x 1612 to receive a second application.

Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.

Yes. You can apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.

To find out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits, visit www.compass.state.pa.us, contact your local county assistance office, or call 1-800-692-7462.