Free & Reduced Meal Application

Eligibility Information and FAQ: Free/Reduced-Price School Meal Application

Please review the eligibility information for your household.  

• Household Letter 2025-2026 - English
• Carta del hogar 2025-2026 - Español, Household Letter 2025-2026 - Spanish
• 가정통신문 2025-2026 - 한국어, Household Letter 2025-2026 - Korean 
• USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines

If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Jones by email or phone, 215-619-8000 ext 1110.

WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS OR SPECIAL MILK?

• All children in households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)(formerly the Food Stamp Program) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)benefits are eligible for free meals.
• Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court areeligible 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 thelimits 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.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY?

Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together ina 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 believechildren in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get freemeals, please contact Kevin Witchey, Home and School Visitor: kwitchey@wsdweb.org.

DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD?

No. Use one Free andReduced-Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve anapplication that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. You may apply online at:https://www.schoolcafe.com/WissahickonSD, or you may request a paper application from the school atany time. Return the completed application to: Wissahickon School District, 601 Knight Road, Ambler,PA 19002.

SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEARSAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS?

No, but read theletter you received carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missingfrom your eligibility notification letter, contact the Wissahickon Administrative Office, (215) 619-8000.

CAN I APPLY ONLINE?

Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paperapplication if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for thesame information as the paper application. Click here to apply:https://www.schoolcafe.com/WissahickonSD or visit the PA Department of Human Services website atwww.compass.state.pa.us.

MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT ANEW ONE?

Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first 30 operatingschool days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that yourchild is eligible for the new school year.

I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?

Children in households participating inWIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Send in an application.

WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?

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

IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER?

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

WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION?

You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: WissahickonSchool District, attention: School Meal Application, 601 Knight Road, Ambler, PA 19002; (215) 619-8000.

MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN?

Yes. You, yourchildren, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced-pricemeals.

WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME?

List the amount that you normallyreceive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month andonly made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, butdo not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wagesreduced, use your current income.

WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT?

Householdmembers may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application or may notreceive income at all. Whenever this happens, write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are leftempty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Be careful when leaving income fields blank, as wewill assume you meant to do so.