Free and Reduced-Price Meals

A new application must be completed each year and only forms for the current year are accepted.

Applying Online:

Click on the Apply Online Button below or download the mobile app to complete and submit an application via SchoolCafe.

Two Step Process to Submit an Online Meal Application with SchoolCafe:

1. Create a SchoolCafe Account. You can use this account each school year to submit an online meal application.

2. Complete and submit the online application. You can check the status of the application and even print out the approval/denial letter.*

IMPORTANT NOTE: If your application is approved via the 2020-21 Oregon Expanded Income Guidelines, SchoolCafe will have a 'Denied' application status. Although an approval letter cannot be generated from SchoolCafe, a copy will be sent to the household via the mail and email, if on file. If your application is approved via the 2020-21 Federal Income Guidelines, you will have an 'Approved' status and will be able to print out your own approval letter. You will also receive notification via the mail and email, if on file.

Paper Applications:

To submit a paper application, click on 2020-21 Confidentail Family Application for Free and Reduced Pricet Meals below. Print out and complete the required information and mail the application to the PPS Nutrition Services Dept., 501 N. Dixon St., Portland, OR 97227. Or, request one to be mailed to you by contacting the PPS Meal Benefits Office at 503.916.3402 or email mealbenefits@pps.net.

If families do not qualify for free and reduced-price meals, school meals can be purchased at specific sites (list will be published soon). However, a meal application can be submitted any time during the school year. This means if circumstances change that allow famlies to meet the inome guidelines they can submit an application at that time. Please note, meal benefits begin the date the application is approved and cannot be backdated to cover prior purchases.

More Information about Meal Benefits

Oregon Expanded Income Guideline (EIG)

The State of Oregon has increased the income guidelines for free meal eligibility in the 2020-21 school year from 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 300% of FPL. The new expanded income guidelines are listed below.

To receive meals at no charge under Oregon’s expanded free meal eligibility, families would submit their household income information using the 2020-21 Confidential Family Application for Free & Reduced Price Meals. Applications can be submitted online or paper.

Oregon Expanded Income Guideline (EIG) Chart

*Oregon Expanded Income Guideline (EIG)* Oregon students may qualify for EIG meals at no charge if the household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
Household Size	Annual	Monthly	Twice Per Month	Every Two Weeks	Weekly
-1-	38,280	3,190	1,595	1,472	736
-2-	51,720	4,310	2,155	1,989	995
-3-	65,160	5,430	2,715	2,506	1,253
-4-	78,600	6,550	3,275	3,023	1,512
-5-	92,040	7,670	3,835	3,540	1,770
-6-	105,480	8,790	4,395	4,057	2,028
Each additional household member adds	13,440	1,120	560	517	258

Meal Benefits Resources

2020-21 Confidential Family Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals
- English
- Spanish
- Chinese
- Russian
- Somali
- Vietnamese
If you need language help, call the PPS Language Line:
- Spanish - 503.916.3582
- Chinese - 503.916.3585
- Russian - 503.916.3583
- Somali - 503.916.3586
- Vietnamese - 503.916.3584
Provision Schools
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Schools
  - If students attend one of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools, an application is not not needed unless there is student in a household that attends a non-CEP school. Students receive one breakfast and one lunch per school day at no cost.
- Provision 2 Schools
  - If students attend a Provision 2 school, they are eligible to receive one breakfast per school day at no cost. Families can submit a meal application to see if they qualify for free or reduced-price lunch meal benefits.
  - The Provision 2 schools are: Franklin, CTC SE, CTC NE.
Submitting Meal Applications
Before the School Year Begins
- To prevent meal charges from being incurred, we encourage all eligible families to submit a new application for free and reduced-price meals prior to the start of each new school year. This allows the application to be processed and the correct eligibility established before school starts. Families have the ability to fill out the Free and Reduced Price Meal Application online on or after July 1. Paper meal applications are available at every school office and cafeteria. Submit completed applications to the school cafeteria or mail to: PPS Nutrition Services, 501 N. Dixon St, Portland, OR 97227.
After the School Year Begins
- Completed meal applications are accepted anytime throughout the school year, and can be submitted to your student's school cafeteria or mailed to the PPS Nutrition Services Department.
- Families who were approved for free or reduced lunch last school year have a 30 carryover after school begins to submit a new meal application.
  - There are no charges incurred during the carryover period.
  - Please verify federal income guidelines before applying. If a meal application is denied within the carryover period, meal charges would begin 10 calendar days after the new application is processed. Families would need to provide meals from home or funds to purchase meals.
- All students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals receive one breakfast and one lunch per school day at no cost. However, a la carte milk ($.50) is not included in the meal benefit.
Please contact the Nutrition Services Meal Benefits Office at 503.916.3402 if you have questions or need additional assistance. For interpretation assistance, please call the PPS Language Line at 503.916.3427.
Who Should Apply for Meal Benefits
- Your household meets the 2020-21 Income guidelines
- You qualify for SNAP benefits and you do not receive a Direct Certification letter before school begins
- You take part in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- You receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- You are applying for a Foster Child
What You Need to Know if Meal Benefits are Approved
- Meal benefits begin the day the meal application is approved. The eligibility date cannot be backdated to cover meals purchased prior to the approval date.
- Students can go to the school cafeteria and provide their 6-digit student ID# to receive one breakfast and/or one lunch per school day at no cost. However, a la carte milk ($.50 each) purchases are not covered as they are not reimbursable meals.
- Meal benefits are valid until the last day of school.
- A new meal application must be submitted each school year to see if families qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
- Students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals may also be eligible to receive additional benefits such as educational fee reductions and/or waivers as well as low cost internet (contact your Internet provider for more information). If you submit the Permission to Share form with your meal application, you can authorize the release of your Free or Reduced eligibility status to program officials that oversee the specified benefit(s). If you do not submit a form -- no information will be released. Just keep your meal benefits approval notification letter as proof of eligibility when applying for benefits.
What You need to Know if Meal Benefits are Denied
- Families can provide their student(s) a meal from home or provide funds to purchase school meals.
- Families may submit a new meal application at any time during the school year if circumstances change (example, there is a decrease in income or increase in household members) which allow them to meet the federal income guidelines.
Annual Meal Benefits Verification Process
- Each year, a sample of free and reduced meal applications are selected at random to verify the information given on the application.
- Verification notifications are sent out in various methods -- phone, email, and letter to inform families of the process. If the required documentation to support the information listed on the meal application is not provided or does not meet federal guidelines, it will result in a loss of free and reduced-price meal benefits.
- Families selected need to submit documentation to show they meet program guidelines to maintain meal benefits.
- For a list of acceptable documentation, click here.
- Documents can be sent via email: mealbenefits@pps.net; or mail to: PPS Nutrition Services, PO Box 3107, Portland, OR 97208; or fax 503.916.3420.
- If you filled out your meal application online via SchoolCafe, you can take a picture of your documentaton and upload it via the SchoolCafé mobile app, or via a computer at www.schoolcafe.com/pps.
- For instructions on how to upload documention via SchoolCafé, click here. To view a video on how to upload documents using SchoolCafé, click here.
- If you do not meet guidelines or do not want free and reduced-price meal benefits, you do not need to provide documentation. Meal benefits will end 10 calendar days after November 15. If circumstances change, families can submit a new meal application any time during the school year -- proof of income must be provided or it will delay the application process.
Free and Reduced Benefits Flyer
Other Resources
- Oregon Helps
- Oregon Food Bank
- Call 2-1-1 or Oregon SafeNet 1-800-SAFENET

Portland Public Schools

Nutrition Services

Free and Reduced-Price Meals

A new application must be completed each year and only forms for the current year are accepted.

Applying Online:

Two Step Process to Submit an Online Meal Application with SchoolCafe:

Paper Applications:

Oregon Expanded Income Guideline (EIG)

Oregon Expanded Income Guideline (EIG) Chart

Meal Benefits Resources

2020-21 Confidential Family Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals

Provision Schools

Submitting Meal Applications

Who Should Apply for Meal Benefits

What You Need to Know if Meal Benefits are Approved

What You need to Know if Meal Benefits are Denied

Annual Meal Benefits Verification Process

Free and Reduced Benefits Flyer

Other Resources

Portland Public Schools

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