Free Meals for Students, Plus Important Reminders for Families
For the 2024-2025 school year, Poudre School District will once again provide no-cost breakfast and lunch for all students.
Research shows students perform better in school when they are not hungry. By providing breakfast and lunch to all children at no-cost, we better support their learning.
Our school meals follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for healthy school meals. When families choose no-cost school meals, our school gets more funding, and our school community can connect over mealtimes. It also saves time and money, which your family can use on what’s most important.
Although all students will receive no-cost meals, it's still important for households to provide their income information when requested via a Free-Reduced Meal Benefits Application. Gathering this information allows PSD to receive the state and federal funding we qualify for. These funds go directly to schools to help cover the cost of meals and support after-school activities and other nutritional programs for students. Plus, qualifying households may be eligible for Summer EBT benefits, receive discounted school fees, class materials, utilities support, and more. Providing household income information ensures you and your school receive all available financial support.
You can find the Free-Reduced Meal Benefits application link below. Applications must be completed annually.
Applications for the 2024-25 School Year 
We are accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Free and Reduced Meals program. Please fill out ALL required information in the application. Incomplete applications cannot be processed. Only one application per household is required and must be submitted annually. Applications may also be picked up at the Child Nutrition Department, 1502 S. Timberline Road.
PSD Free and Reduced Meals Policies | PSD Free and Reduced Meals Policies (Spanish)
Eligibility and notification
Students may be eligible for free or reduced lunches if they receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) or if the household income is within the eligibility limits set by the government. Children who qualify for free or reduced meals are offered the same foods as children who pay full price.
Once your application has been reviewed, you will be notified of the decision. Applications may take up to 10 days to be processed. Households are responsible for meal costs until the application has been processed. If you're denied benefits, you may appeal the decision. Instructions for the appeal process will be included with the eligibility determination letter.
Note: You may be asked to verify information in the application, allowing the school district to confirm eligibility for the free and reduced meals.
To request a copy of your Free and Reduced Meals letter, email the following information to nutrition@psdschools.org
- Student(s) full name.
- Student(s) ID number.
- Student(s) Date of Birth.
- The school year of the requested letter.
- Specify if you would like to receive the letter via email, United States Postal Service, or if you would like to pick up the letter at the Child Nutrition Office.
Once the request is received, we will verify your student(s)' information and send you a copy of the requested letter(s).
Qualifying students may apply for fees/charges waivers and other benefits
Families who qualify for Free and Reduced Meal Benefits are eligible for school fee/charge waivers. See the Student Fees and Charges web page for instructions on how to complete the Permission to Share Information for Fee/Charge Waivers form.
Families can also apply for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (FCC BB information | FF BB Information – Spanish) that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying households. A qualification is a household that is approved under the free and reduced school lunch or breakfast program. See details on the FCC website.
Confidentiality
Application information is confidential. Your child's eligibility status is also kept confidential when they pay for meals. With your consent, application information may be provided to other assistance programs, for which you would provide similar information, to make applying for these programs easier. Your eligibility status may be told without consent to federal and state education/health programs to help evaluate the benefit of programs.
Non-discrimination Statement: In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.
The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.