Children Are Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Meals if Their Household Income Is at or Below Federal Guidelines
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) has announced its policy for providing nutritious meals to students every school day under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Afterschool Snack Program for the 2024-25 school year.
Effective from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals if their household income is at or below federal guidelines. Households receiving benefits from CalFresh, CalWORKs, or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) will automatically qualify for free meals. Additionally, children who are foster, homeless, migrant, or runaway are eligible for free meals.
Households receiving an automatic qualification notification letter do not need to submit an application. If any child in such a household is not listed in the letter, families should contact school officials. Those who prefer not to receive free or reduced-price meals must also inform the school.
Applications for meal benefits will be distributed to households, and families must submit one application for all children in the household to the Food & Nutrition Services office at 1717 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401. For a secure method to apply, households can use the online application at myschoolapps.com. Assistance is available by contacting Food & Nutrition Services at 310-450-8338, ext. 70228.
Households can submit applications at any time during the school year, especially if there are changes in income, household size, or if a household member begins receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs, or FDPIR. The information provided on the application will determine eligibility and may be verified by school officials. The last four digits of the Social Security number of any adult household member, or an indication that no Social Security number is available, is required if income is reported on the application.
Households receiving benefits from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) may also be eligible for free or reduced-price meals by submitting an application. Foster children are automatically eligible for free meals and can be included as household members to help non-foster children qualify for meal benefits.
The eligibility status from the previous school year will carry over for up to 30 school days into the new school year. No reminders or expiration notices will be sent.
For disputes regarding the decision or results of verification, families can discuss the matter with school officials or request a fair hearing by contacting Richard Marchini, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, at 1717 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, or by calling 310-450-8338, ext. 70342.
