Boosting NJ School Meal
Enrollment
Hunger Solutions
Boosting School Meals Enrollment
With many New Jersey schools serving free meals to all children, districts across New Jersey are reporting a low return rate of school meal applications. Families should complete these applications to ensure eligible children receive special federal nutrition assistance, known as Pandemic EBT, during COVID and for districts to claim state and federal funding for education programs.
Congress recently extended Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) through Sept. 30, 2021 to children in kindergarten through 12th grade who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price school meals and whose schools are operating on remote learning at least five days a week. Students must be enrolled in the National School Lunch Program to be eligible.
School districts that engage in effective and ongoing outreach have the potential to reach more students. Below is a link to our best practices guide and a sample message to parents.
Strategies for Boosting Enrollment
Sample Message to Parents
Dear Parent,
Please complete the (enclosed, attached or linked) school meal application. Even if your school is providing free meals to all students during the pandemic, it is very important that you complete this form and return it to your school.
These applications are used for several purposes, including to:
- Determine whether a student is eligible to receive free or low-cost school meals,
- Identify students that qualify for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT). This monthly benefit of about $99 is available to students in kindergarten through 12th grade whose school is operating on a remote schedule. Children must be enrolled in the School Lunch Program to be eligible.
- Determine state and federal funding that supports many of your child’s education programs
Households may apply any time during the school year, but we encourage you to complete the application as soon as possible. Children of parents who become unemployed may become eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
A single application will be accepted for all children in the household attending schools in the same district. Household members do not have to be U.S. citizens for children to qualify.
Sample Message to Parents - Spanish
Estimado Padre,
Por favor completa la solicitud de comida escolar (adjunta, adjunta o vinculada). Incluso si su escuela está proporcionando comidas gratuitas a todos los estudiantes durante la pandemia, es muy importante que completa este formulario y lo devuelva a su escuela.
Estas aplicaciones se utilizan con varios propósitos:
- Determinará si un estudiante es elegible para recibir comidas escolares gratuitas o de bajo costo,
- Identifique a los alumnos que califican para Pandemic EBT. Este beneficio mensual de alrededor de $99 está disponible para los estudiantes en el jardín de infantes hasta el grado 12 cuya escuela está operando en un horario remoto. Los niños deben estar inscritos en el Programa de Almuerzos Escolares para ser elegibles.
- Determinará los fondos estatales y federales que apoyan muchos de los programas de educación de su hijo.
Los hogares pueden solicitar beneficios en cualquier momento durante el año escolar, pero le recomendamos que complete la solicitud tan pronto como sea posible. Los hijos de padres que se quedan desempleados pueden ser elegibles para comidas gratuitas o a precio reducido. Se aceptará una sola solicitud para todos los niños del hogar que asisten a escuelas en el mismo distrito. Los miembros del hogar no tienen que ser ciudadanos estadounidenses para que los niños califiquen.
