News

Free and reduced-price meal benefit applications available for Foxcroft Academy families

School Year 2023 free and reduced-price meal benefit applications are available for families  with students enrolled in Foxcroft Academy which is participating in the National School Lunch  Program (NSLP). Meals will be provided to enrolled students at no charge in Maine public  schools participating in the National School Lunch Program due to State of Maine Legislation.  

While meals are provided for no charge, it is still important to complete the School Year 2023  free and reduced-price meal benefit application. Students may be eligible for additional benefits,  such as the USDA pandemic EBT program.  

School Year 2023 Free and reduced price meal benefit applications are also available for families  with private pay students enrolled in Foxcroft Academy which is participating in the National  School Lunch Program (NSLP). 

The following household income guidelines for School Year for 2023 have been provided by the  United States Department of Agriculture: 

Household Size  Maximum Household Income Eligible for Free Meals  Maximum Household Income Eligible for Reduced Price Meals
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Each add’l member  Annually Monthly Weekly $17,667 $1,473 $340 23,803 1,984 458 29,938 2,495 576 36,075 3,007 694 42,211 3,518 812 48,347 4,029 930 54,483 4,541 1,048 60,619 5,052 1,166 + 6,136 + 512 + 118  Annually Monthly Weekly $25,142 $2,096 $484 33,874 2,823 652 42,606 3,551 820 51,338 4,279 988 60,070 5,006 1,156 68,802 5,734 1,324 77,534 6,462 1,492 86,266 7,189 1,659 + 8,732 + 728 + 168

To apply, fill out a Free and Reduced Price Meal Benefit Application and return it your local  school district. The information provided on the application is confidential. Applications may  be submitted any time during the school year. A complete application is required as a condition  of eligibility. A complete application includes: (1) household income from all sources or Food  Stamp/TANF case number, (2) names of all household members, and (3) the signature and last  four digits of social security number or indication of no social security number of adult  household member signing the application. School officials may verify current income at any  time during the school year. 

Foster children may be eligible regardless of the income of the household with whom they  reside. 

If a family member becomes unemployed or if family size changes, the family should contact the  school to file a new application. Such changes may make the children of the family eligible.  

Households will be notified of their children’s eligibility status for free or reduced price  meals. If any children were not listed on the eligibility notice for families receiving SNAP, 

TANF or FDPIR, the household should contact the school to have free meal benefits extended to  those children. 

If any child(ren) was not listed on the eligibility notice, the household should contact their local  school district to have free meal benefits extended to that child(ren). 

The Foxcroft Academy determining official will review the application and determine eligibility.  If a parent/guardian is dissatisfied with the ruling of the determining official, they may wish to  discuss the decision with the hearing official on an informal basis or he/she may make a request  either orally or in writing to the school district’s hearing official. 

For more information, contact: 

Kelly Ostrosky, 564-8351, kelly.ostrosky@foxcroftacademy.org 

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil  rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of  race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability,  age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. 

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with  disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information  (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible  State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720- 2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD 3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online  at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form 0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by  writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address,  telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient  detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an  alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA  by: 

(1) mail: 

 U.S. Department of Agriculture 

 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 

 1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

 Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 

(2) fax: 

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 

(3) email: 

 program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual  orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national  origin. 

Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission,  51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination  complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website  at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is  an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Get the Rest of the Story

Thank you for reading your4 free articles this month. To continue reading, and support local, rural journalism, please subscribe.