FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 July 28, 2022 

NUSD Announces Free Meals for All Students

            (Novato, CA)… The Novato Unified School District announced that all students will receive free, nutritious meals every school day under the newly enacted Universal Meals Program, National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Afterschool Snack Program.

Effective July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, households are also eligible for additional benefits if the household income is less than or equal to the federal guidelines. Federal guidelines can be found here https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/fr-021622.

Households do not need to turn in an application when the household receives a notification letter saying that all children automatically qualify for free meals when any household member receives benefits from CalFresh, CalWORKS, or FDPIR.  Children who meet the definition of foster, homeless, migrant, or runaway, and children enrolled in their schools Head Start program are eligible for free meals. Please contact school officials if any child in the household is not on the notification letter.  The household must let school officials know if they do not want to receive free meals.

Applications will be sent to the household with a letter about the free meal program.  Households that want to apply for meal benefits must fill out one application for all children in the household and give it to the nutrition office at 819 Olive Avenue, Novato, CA.  For a simple and secure method to apply, use the online application at www.LunchApp.com.  Contact Cindy Liang at 415-892-2115 for help in filling out the application.

Households may turn in an application any time during the school year. If not eligible now, but the household income goes down, household size goes up, or a household member starts receiving CalFresh, CalWORKS, or FDPIR, an application may be turned in at that time.  Information give on the application will be used to determine eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school officials.

More information about the Universal Free Meals program and eligibility can be found at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/univmealsqandapart2.asp.

Children’s eligibility status from last year will continue into the new school year for up to 30 school days or until the school processes the new application, or the child is otherwise certified for free or reduced-price meals.

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