News Release

September 6, 2022

INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES ANNOUNCED FOR SCHOOL LUNCH, OTHER NUTRITION PROGRAMS

The Nebraska Department of Education’s Office of Nutrition Services has announced the Income Eligibility Guidelines for free and reduced-price meals for those unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch, Breakfast, Special Milk, and Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP).

Participating schools, child care, and adult care centers have a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

Application forms will be given to all households with a letter to parents, guardians or adult participants. To apply for free or reduced price meals, households should fill out the application and return it to the school or agency. Additional copies are available from the school principals or agency administrator. The information provided on the application will be used to determine eligibility and may be verified at any time during the year by school or other program officials.

For the school or agency officials to determine eligibility, the household must provide the following information on the application: names of all household members; the last four digits of the social security number of an adult household member or a statement that the household member does not have one; total monthly household income by source; and the signature of an adult household member certifying that the information provided is correct. Children who are members of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) assistance units or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) households are automatically eligible to receive free meals. Participants at adult care centers receiving Food Stamps, FDPIR, SSI or Medicaid are automatically eligible to receive free meals.

Applications may be submitted at any time during the year.

The same meals will be made available to all enrolled participants regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin or disability, and there is no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Non-pricing programs provide meals at no separate charge. Pricing programs provide free and reduced price meals to those meeting the approved eligibility criteria. Persons who believe they have been treated unfairly in receiving food services for any of these reasons should write immediately to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

The following household size and income criteria will be used for determining eligibility. Participants from families whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for free or reduced price meals.

NUTRITION SERVICES

INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

JULY 1, 2022 – JUNE 30, 2023

Household Size	Free Meal			Reduced Price Meal
	Annual	Monthly	Weekly	Annual	Monthly	Weekly
1	17,667	1,473	340	25,142	2,096	484
2	23,803	1,984	458	33,874	2,823	652
3	29,939	3,007	694	42,606	3,551	820
4	36,075	3,007	694	51,338	4,279	988
5	42,211	3,518	812	60,070	5,006	1,156
6	48,347	4,029	930	68,802	5,743	1,324
7	54,483	4,541	1,048	77,543	6,462	1,492
8	60,619	5,052	1,166	86,266	7,189	1,659
For each additional family member add:	6,136	512	118	8,732	78	168

NOTE TO MEDIA: A list of the participating schools and agencies, by county, is available on the Nutrition Services web site at Schools, Organizations, and Institutions Participating in Child Nutrition Programs

A graphic file of the Income Guidelines is available at https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SY22-23-IEG.pdf.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider.

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