HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS homeless, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY?
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, please call or e-mail Duane Pate at 803-432-8416 or duane.pate@kcsdschools.net.
What if I need to fill out the free/reduced meal application?
After you click “Submit,” you will be able to access the online free/reduced meal application from the Submission Confirmation page. You can also go directly to
www.kcsdschools.net/meals to start an application or to check on the status of your application.
Do I need to complete an application for each child?
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. Applications can only be completed and submitted online at schoollunchapp.com
SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS?
NO, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact the Office of Nutrition and School Food Service at 803-425-8906 immediately.
May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced-price meals.
What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally 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.
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.
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, 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.
WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY?
Contact nutrition services at 803-432-8416 or email misha.lawyer@kcsdschools.net.
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 the State Hotline at 1-800-616-1309.
If you have other questions or need help, call Nutrition Services 803-432-8416.
