Add Us On GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google
Wis. (WMTV) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and <a href="https://healthylife7.com/farm-focus-for-second-online-soil-nutrition-course/” title=”Farm focus for second online soil nutrition course”>Nutrition Administration updated the income requirements for families whose students receive free or discounted meals at school or day care
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction shared the new guidelines Tuesday, which are updated each year based on federal poverty levels
Students in a household of four, with income of $42,900 per year or less, qualify for free school meals. That increases eligibility by just over $1,100 compared to last year
Households making between $42,900.01 and $61,050 can get reduced meals, DPI explained
The goal of the food programs are to provide healthy, nutritious food to young students and eligible adults
Public schools, private schools and day cares who participate in the food aid program usually give meal applications during registration and the first few weeks of the school year
Applications can be sent in at any point and only one application is needed per household, DPI said
DPI said there are some groups who are automatically eligible to receive meal benefits (wording theirs):
- FoodShare (also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP)
- Wisconsin Works (W-2) Cash Assistance (also known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF)
- Some income based Medicaid programs
- The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
DPI listed the following groups as also being eligible (wording theirs):
- Foster, homeless, migrant, or runaway children
- Children enrolled in Head Start, an At-Risk after-school center, or an emergency shelter
- Adults who are Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid participants
Click hereto download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app
Copyright 2026 WMTV. All rights reserved
