Tips for Increasing Free and Reduced Lunch Applications

Importance of Free and Reduced Lunch Applications

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School meals are important to ensure all low-income students receive proper nutrition. Not only so school meals help reduce hunger, but they also increase the health of children and their ability to learn. Capturing accurate income data for students is crucial to the well being of the school.

Free and Reduced data related to school meals is used to qualify schools for child nutrition programs both within and outside of school time.  Not only will the information optimize a school's reimbursment for school meals but it can also qualify the school and surrounding area for support programs leverage these additional funds.

This year, with families and school districts stretched tight, It will be more important than ever to ensure your rate of Free and Reduced meal eligibility reflects the needs of your students, and your school.

Tips for Increasing the Rate of Meal Application Returns

Direct Certification

Direct Certification is the quickest, most accurate way to ensure low‐income students are enrolled for free meals. All students in households receiving TANF or SNAP/Food Stamp benefits can be directly certified. Be sure your school district is frequently checking for matches, as many new families are now enrolled in these programs.

Oregon Confidentiality Family Application

Advertise the new online version of the Oregon Confidential Family Application for Free and Reduced‐Price Meals. Include a user‐friendly link on your school homepage, connecting parents to the online application (https://district.ode.state.or.us/apps/frlapp/default.aspx).

Face to Face Time 

Utilize face‐to‐face time with parents and families at back‐to‐school nights and parentteacher conferences to explain the application and encourage families to return it.

Offer Incentives

Offer incentives like stickers or gift cards for returned applications. Let kids know it benefits the school, to help reduce the stigma of handing them in.

Newsletter

Include an article in newsletters or your website. The article can address some of these points: 

• Families can help their schools by returning their applications, even if they choose not to participate in the school lunch program. It is important to count the number of students who qualify, to ensure the school and community get the resources they need 
• Families who don’t qualify can reapply at any point in the school year, if family size or income changes. 
• Studies have shown that students who eat from the National School Lunch Program are more likely to eat more vegetables, drink more milk and fewer sweetened drinks, and eat fewer cookies and salty snacks than students who make other lunch choices.