Family/Household means a group of people who may or may not be related and who do not live in an institution or a boarding house, butwhoare living as one economic group. Students who are temporarily away at school should be counted as members of the family; however, students who are full-time residents ofan institution are considered a family of one.

Gross Income means income before deductions for income taxes, employee's social security taxes, insurance premiums, charitable contributions, bonds, etc. It includes the following:

1. Monetary compensation for services, including wages, salary, commissions, or fees;
2. Net income from non-farm self-employment;
3. Net income from farm self-employment;
4. Social security;
5. Dividends or interest on savings or bonds or income from estates or trusts;
6. Net rental income;
7. Public assistance or welfare payments;
8. Unemployment compensation;
9. Government civilian employee or military retirement, or pensions, or veterans payments;
10. Private pensions or annuities;
11. Alimony or child support payments;
12. Regular contributions from persons not living in the household;
13. Net royalties; and
14. Other cash income. Other cash income would include cash amounts received or withdrawn from any source including savings, investments, trust accounts, and other resources which would be available to pay the price of a child's meal.
     

Income does not include any income or benefits received under any Federal program, which are excluded from consideration as income by any legislative prohibition.

In a household where there is income from wages and self-employment and the self-employment reflects a negative net income, consider that income as zeroso as not to offset the wages earned.

In applying guidelines, the family's current rate ofincome should be used in determining eligibility.

Current Income is defined as income received during the month prior to application if such income is representative. Where the prior month's income was much higher or lower than usual, expected income for this year (12 months starting from the prior month) may be used; for example, self-employed people, farmers, and migrant workers

Foster Children whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State, or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household, is categorically eligible for free meals and may be certified without an application.

Households with foster and non-foster children may choose to include the foster child as a household member, as well as any personal income earned by the foster child on the same household application that includes the non­ foster children. Foster children on the DC list are free eligible. Foster children cannot extend eligibility to household members.

Institutionalized Children are considered a one-member family and only monies the child actually receives and controls shall be considered as income for determining eligibility.

Adopted Children for whom a household has accepted legal responsibility is considered to be a member of that household. If the adoption is a "subsidized" adoption, which may include children with special needs, the subsidy is included in the total household income.

Because some adopted children were first placed in families as foster children, parents may not be aware that, once the child is adopted, he/she must be determined eligible based on the economic unit and all income available to that household, including any adoption assistance, is counted when making eligibility determination.

•    All children in households receiving benefits from the Food Stamp Program/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or Temporary Assistance/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), 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 this chart.
 

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
Mrs. Leanne West, 417-348-0444 ext. 2005 Leanne.west@kirbyvillebraves.org

 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. Return the completed application to: Patti Turner, FSD 417-348-0444 ext 2008 (patti.turner@kirbyvillebraves.org)

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 Patti Turner, FSD, 417-348-0444 ext 2008 (patti.turner@kirbyvillebraves.org) immediately.

Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few 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. Please send in an application.

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

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

You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Dr. Carless Osbourn, Superintendent of Schools 417-337-8913 carless.osbourn@kirbyvillebraves.org

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 $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.

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.

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 the Elementary or Middle School office to receive a second
application.

To find out how to apply for the Food Stamp Program/SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-855-373-4636.