Free and Reduced Meal Information
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For the 2022-2023 school year, the District became eligible for district-wide status under the Community Eligibility Program (CEP), which provided both breakfast and lunch to all students at no charge, regardless of location. Spring of 2025, the District had to requalify for CEP Status.
Beginning the 2025-2026 school year, not all schools qualify for CEP and will transition to the traditional National School Lunch Program (NSLP). This means that in order to receive free or reduced-price meals for lunch, families will need to complete a Free and Reduced Meal Application.
Applications will be accepted after July 1, 2025. Breakfast continues to be free for all students.For the complete list of schools that qualify for CEP and NSLP, click the links below:
CEP Schools
NSLP Schools
FAQ
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Who can get free or reduced-price meals?
- All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) are eligible for free meals. Foster children that 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 the chart.
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Do I need to fill out an application for each child?
- No. You may complete one Free and reduced Meal Application for all students in your household either by going online using SchoolCafe.com or by returning the form to your youngest child's school.
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Should I fill out an application if I receive a letter this school year saying my children are all ready approved for free or reduced-price meals?
- No, but please read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Nutrition Services, 531-299-5936 immediately or send an email to nseligibility@ops.org
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How do I know if any 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 Kimberly Dove at 531-299-5936, or email us at nseligibility@ops.org.
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May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. Citizen?
- Yes, You, your children or other household members do not have to be US Citizens to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
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Will the information I give be checked or verified?
- Yes, we may ask you to send written proof of the information you report.
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How will I be notified of the results of my application?
- Upon submitting an application for free or reduced-price meals, the determining official will notify you by a letter sent to your child's school, of the "Approval" or "Denial". If you do not agree with the decision, you may discuss it with the determining official. If you wish to review the decision further, you have the right to a fair hearing. This can be done by writing to the Nutrition Services Director, 3215 Cuming St, Omaha Nebraska 68131-2024, or calling 531-2999-0230.
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May I reapply if my income changes or is not always the same?
- You may apply for meal benefits at any time during the school year, if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or FDPIR (Food Distribution on Indian Reservations). If you lose your job, your children may be able to qualify for free or reduced-price meals. To find out how to apply for SNAP or other economic assistance benefits, please go online at ACCESSNebraska.ne.gov or call 402-471-3721.
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What if some household members have no income to report?
- Household members may not receive some types of income that we ask you to report on the application or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please record a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeros. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
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My child's application was approved last year for meal benefits. Do I need to fill out another one?
- Yes, your child's application is good only for the previous school year and for the first few days of the school year. You must submit a new application unless you were notified that your child is eligible for a new school year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price.
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What if my income is not always the same?
- List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally earn $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you make $1000 per month. If you normally earn overtime pay, include it, but do not include it if you only receive overtime pay only sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, report your current income.
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We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?
- Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you receive any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food or clothing, or receive Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance payments, these 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. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
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Who should I include as members of my household?
- You must include yourself and all people living in your household, related or not (such as children, grandparents, other relatives or friends). List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. Contact Kimberly Dove, 3215 Cuming St. Omaha, NE 68131-2024, 531-299-5936 or email us at nseligibility@ops.org to receive a second application.
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I get WIC. Can my children get free meals?
- Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Please submit an application for school meal benefits.
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Can I apply online?
- You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit https://schoolcafe.com to begin or learn more about the online application process. Contact Kimberly Dove, 3215 Cuming St. Omaha, NE 68131-2024, 531-299-5936 or email us at nseligibility@ops.org if you have questions about the online application.
