Free & Reduced Price Lunch Program

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program. The Food and Nutrition Service, under the United States Department of Agriculture, administers the program at the federal level. At the state level, it is administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture which operates the programs through agreements with districts/schools. School lunches must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as well as federal nutrition requirements. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.

The School Breakfast Program (SBP) serves the nutritional needs of school children by offering low-cost nutritious breakfasts to schoolchildren. Texas state law requires that a school must participate in the School Breakfast Program if at least 10 percent of their students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Texas Education Code, Section 33.901 as amended by Senate Bill 376 (83rd Texas Legislative Session) requires that contracting entities (CEs) with 80 percent or more free or reduced-price meals participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provide breakfast at no charge for all children. The Administrator’s Reference Manual, Section 8, Breakfast has been updated to include information on this requirement. Information on the process to request a waiver for this requirement will be released soon.

The Afterschool Care Program component of the National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted snack service that fills the afternoon hunger gap for school children. The snack service is administered at the Federal level by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. It provide a nutritional boost to children enrolled in afterschool activities.
In order for the afterschool care program to be eligible, is must provide organized, regularly scheduled activities in a structured and supervised environment, including an educational or enrichment activity. Examples of eligible activities include homework assistance, tutoring, supervised “drop-in” athletic programs, extended day programs, drama activities, and arts and crafts programs. Organized interscholastic programs or community-level competitive sports are not eligible to participate.

Summer Feeding Programs The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston currently doesn’t participate in summer feeding. The Child Nutrition Department markets summer feeding information through flyers, end of the year menus, and Posters that are located in the school.

For more information and or locations please visit http://www.squaremeals.org/Programs/SummerFeedingPrograms.aspx

For more information visit: http://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp/national-school-lunch-program-nslp

To apply online, click here.  or  To download the application:
English application
en Español