• DID YOU KNOW?

    Liberty Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services offers a variety of healthy meal choices for breakfast and lunch to all students through the National School Lunch and Breakfast program. This federal program also allows us to offer free or reduced meal benefits to students that qualify through an application process.

    • A new family application must be submitted at the beginning of each school year.
    • Applications may be completed online or completed manually. Manually completed applications may be turned in at the school site or the Nutrition Services office. All applications are processed by the Nutrition Services office before a determination is confirmed.
    • Parents are responsible for any meal charges accrued prior to the application being received.
    • Past due as well as credit balances will be carried over from year to year.

    Did you get a direct certification letter?

    Based on monthly information from the Missouri Department of Social Services, some students are directly certified to receive free breakfast and lunch meals without submitting a Free and Reduced Meals application.If families receive a direct certification email, families do not have to fill out a free and reduced-price meal form for the school year. All other students who did not receive a Direct Certification letter must fill out a new form.

    PAPER APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL SCHOOL SITES and for download on the right of this page.  Applications are available in multiple languages (49 options)  at www.schoolcafe.com and at Translated Paper Meal Applications at USDA

    Questions about the process. Call 816-736-5375, and you will receive your answers quickly.

    Only complete one application per family. The information you give will be used to determine or prove your child's eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals. This information may also be used for other state or federally funded school benefits. 

    Factors considered in the application process are household size and total household income. HOUSEHOLD SIZE is considered all persons, related or unrelated: Including parents, children, grandparents who live in your home and share living expenses. The TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME is the income each household member received last month before taxes - this includes wages, social security, pension, unemployment, welfare, child support, alimony, and any other cash income. 

    Foster children are categorically eligible for free meal benefits. An application is not needed if documentation is provided by the state or local agency. It is the guardian's responsibility to provide this documentation. Foster children may be included in the household application as part of the household size.

    Please return completed forms to 801 Kent Street, Liberty, MO 64068 or to your student's school cafeteria.

  • My child's application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out another one?

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    Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child(ren) is eligible for the new school year.
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  • If I don't qualify now, may I apply later?

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    Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start receiving Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance or other benefits. If you lose your job, your child(ren) may be able to get free or reduced price meals.
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  • Who can get free meals?

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    When a family completes the Education Benefit application and qualifies under the income guidelines set forth by the federal government. 

    All children in households getting Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance, or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations can get free meals regardless of income. Also, your child(ren) can get free meals if your household income is within the free limits for the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.
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  • Do I need to fill out an application for each child?

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    No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: your child’s school cafeteria, or the nutrition services office (801 Kent St.)
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  • What if my income is not always the same?

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    List the amount that you normally get. For example, if you normally get $1,000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1,000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get it only sometimes.
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  • Who should I include as members of my household?

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    You must include all people living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends). You must include yourself and all children who live with you.
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  • What if I disagree with the decision about my application?

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    You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Misty Newland, RDN, Nutrition Services Director, 816-736-5375, 801 Kent St., Liberty, MO 64068.
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  • Will the information I provide on the application be checked?

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    Yes, we may ask you to send written proof.  We are required to check a certain number of applications each year.
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  • Should I fill out an application if I got a letter saying my child(ren) are approved for free meals?

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    Do not complete the attached application if you have recently received notification from your school that your child(ren) has been certified to receive free meal benefits for the school year.
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  • Who can get reduced priced meals?

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    Your child(ren) can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced priced income limits.
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  • Can homeless, runaway and migrant children get free meals?

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    Please call the Enrollment Center/Student Services at 816-736-5310 to see if your child(ren) qualify, if you have not been informed that they will get free meals.
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  • Can foster children get free meals?

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    Yes, foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court, are eligible for free meals. Any foster child in the household is eligible for free meals regardless of income. Complete the foster child section of the application.
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  • We are in the military; do we include our housing allowance as income?

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    If your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Exclude military combat pay received by service members during a deployment. All other allowances must be included in your gross income
    Comments (-1)

Paper copies available at schools or Download & Print Application