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Food Services
24-25 Food Services Newsletter
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH INFORMATION
Did you know that your free and reduced meal application can now be completed online?
We have made it faster and easier for parents to apply for free and reduced meals. This free service enables families to receive program benefits faster than using a paper application. Your application is electronically submitted directly to the school district for processing. To get started visit http://www.schoolcafe.com
You may also print the free and reduced lunch application here.
24-25 English Free-Red Lunch Application
24-25 Spanish Free-Red Lunch Application
SUN Bucks (formerly P-EBT) Information
Summer EBT | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
SUN Bucks Eligibility Navigator (pa.gov)
Recorded Family FAQs - 1-877-762-1575
SUN Bucks questions via phone beginning 8/19/2024: 1-877-395-8930
MEAL PRICES FOR 2024-2025
Breakfast All Schools: FREE
Elementary Lunch: $2.65
Middle School/High School Lunch: $2.90
Add funds at www.schoolcafe.com or send cash or check (made out to Tulpehocken Area School District) into your child's school in an envelope with their name and ID number.
ALLERGIES & SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS
The Food Service Department is required to make accommodations if your child is unable to eat school meals because of a disability that restricts their diet. A recognized medical authority must complete and sign the Medical Plan of Care for the food service team at your child's school to make appropriate substitutions. Please return the completed form to Jillian Bergman, Director of Food Services. A representative from the food service department will contact you to confirm the form was received and discuss how accommodations will be made.
Medical Plan of Care for School Food Service
MEAL CHARGING POLICY
No student who requests a meal will be denied a main lunch option, unless the parent or guardian has provided written permission to withhold a school lunch.
Direct communications regarding money owed will be made to the parent or guardian only. Students may deliver communications in letter form, addressed to the parent/guardian.
Meals served to students will not be removed or exchanged as a result of overdrawn cafeteria accounts. When it is discovered a student has selected a meal and they do not have positive funds or cash to purchase it, the student will be permitted to have the meal without discussion. The meal will be charged to the student’s lunch account.
Students may not charge ala carte items (snacks, ice cream, etc.).K-6 students who have negative account balances with cash in hand will be permitted to make purchases, 7-12 students will be asked to apply cash towards the negative account balance.
Weekly notices will be sent via email, letter and/or automated phone call for account balances of less than $0.00.
If all district attempts to collect unpaid meal charges are unsuccessful, the account will be sent to a collection agency. Additional fees will be added by the collection agency.
SUMMER MEALS
Schools or families can use any of the following methods to locate sites that serve free meals to children during the summer:
Call 211
Call 1-866-3Hungry or 1-877-8Hambre
Text "MEALPA" to 877877 during the summer months
Visit the website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks (note, this replaces the whyhunger.org website)
Use the site locator for smartphones - Rangeapp.org
District Wellness Committee
If you are interested in joining the district Wellness Committee, please contact Jillian Bergman at 717-933-4611 x1042.
Account Balances and Refunds
A refund of an account balance can be requested by emailing jbergman@tulpehocken.org. Accounts of students who have left the district and have $5.00 or less, will be donated to the Food Service Delinquent Fund.
Seniors who have money left in their meal account and have siblings in another grade will have the remaining balance transferred to the sibling's account. If there are no siblings and the account balance is less than $5.00, the funds will be donated to pay down delinquent accounts of other students. If the account is greater than $5.00, the money will be refunded. If you wish to donate your remaining balance to reduce the negative balance of a Tulpehocken Area School District student, please email jbergman@tulpehocken.org.
Civil Rights Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) E-mail: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.