Free & Reduced Program

To Apply for Federal Meal Benefits
To apply for free or reduced priced meals, complete one application per family being sure to list each child and their school on the application, bring it in to your child’s school or mail it to the Food Services Department. Once the application has been approved or denied, a letter will be sent to your home from the RSD Food Services office.

What are free or reduced meal benefits?
If you qualify for meal benefits, your child(ren) will be eligible for (1) free or reduced priced meal for each of the breakfast and lunch programs. The free or reduced status applies to meals only. To qualify for the program, the student must accept a meal. The student is not eligible to use their free or reduced status for the purchase of a la carte items such as milk. If a student is on free or reduced meal status and only accepts milk rather than a complete meal, the milk is not free and the student will be charged $0.50.

Do I need to re-apply each year?
YES. If your family participated in the lunch program at the end of the previous school year, you will automatically qualify for the program through the 30th serving day. (October 15th for elementary, October 15th for middle school/high school students) If a new application has not been received and approved by the 30th serving day, your child(ren) will be removed from the program.

Is the information I provide confidential?
YES! The application is used only to determine benefits for the breakfast/lunch program unless the parent/guardian authorizes otherwise on the back of the form. Students receiving lunches under this plan are identified only to the lunchroom cashier.

Questions about the meal program can be directed to our office during our regular office hours (8:00 am-2:00 pm). We hope we have answered your questions. If you need additional information, please call our office at 446-9133

Rainier School District Food Service

How to accommodate students with no money in their account

 Elementary level        

1. Student is verbally reminded by cashier when their account is low.
2. Notes will go home in backpacks on Tuesday and Thursday.
3. Automatic emails are sent daily for negative accounts.

 Secondary Level

1. Students are verbally reminded by cashier when their account is low.
2.  Automatic emails are sent daily for negative accounts.

If we have a “persistent” non payer then we contact the parents and offer to send a free and reduced meal form.  For secondary students we also talk to them about Family Access which is the ability to look online and see what their student account balance is, and monitor what they have been eating. 

For preventive measures we send a summer mailer packet (with the information on the following pages) which is designed to answer all applicable questions regarding the FS program and to advise parents of the above procedures.

If a student has money in their account at the end of the school year it will carry over to the next school year. Graduating students will be given a refund or money will be put on siblings account.

Requesting Meal Modifications

The Special Diets request form MUST be used for students who require special diets due to disabilities, and should be updated whenever necessary, or there is a change in directive. A medical doctor or other authorized, recognized medical authority must complete the form. ( Form can be found under quick links)

The notes or request may come from a student I.E.P. plan: in this case, contact the Food Service Supervisor so a plan can be created for the student.

Wellness Committee

Our Wellness Committee meets several times throughout the year. To be part of this committee please contact our Food Service Department. 360-446-9133

USDA Resources

Summer Meals Locator:

USDA National Hunger Hotline- can be reached Monday-Friday. Families can call 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479)
For Spanish, families can call 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273)

No Kid Hungry Resources:

Texting Line- Families may text "Food" or "Comida" to 304-304 to find free summer meals near them.  Meal Site Locator- https://www.nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals

Questions? Please Contact:

Civil Rights Statement

Non-discrimination Statement: The U.S Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint__ling_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250- 9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal-opportunity provider and employer.