All students must qualify under at least one of the options outlined below:

(1) Free and Reduced Lunch program / USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines Chart
(2) HUD Documentation / HUD Income Eligibility by County Guidelines Chart
(3) Medicaid Recipient Documentation
(4) SNAP or TANF Recipient Documentation
(5) Other (see list below)

(1) Qualified applicants must be a recipient of the Free and Reduced Lunch program and meet the income eligibility guidelines published annually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Guidelines Announced for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals and Milk Programs), included as part of this Take Stock Income Eligibility Packet. To qualify under this standard, students must receive and be verified (through a review of their current year filed IRS Tax Form 1040) as income eligible to receive Free/Reduced Price lunch (receipt of Free/Reduced Lunch without Tax verification will not be accepted). See Table 1: Qualifying Under Free and Reduced Lunch Program /USDA Guidelines Source: https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/child-care-foodprogram/_documents/income-eligibility.pdf

(2) Qualified applicants must be a recipient or meet the income eligibility guidelines published annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To qualify, applicants must not exceed the “Very Low Income” eligibility threshold designated by the HUD standard published annually for the county in which the student resides. Please contact our office for instructions to qualify under HUD guidelines.

(3) Qualified applicants must be a recipient of Florida Medicaid services. Medicaid eligibility in Florida is determined either by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Social Security Administration (for SSI recipients). To qualify under this standard, students must currently be receiving services (through a review of their Florida Medicaid benefits) and must provide official documentation for eligibility from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Social Security Administration (for SSI recipients).

(4) Qualified applicants must be a SNAP recipient. SNAP eligibility is determined by the State of Florida through the Department of Children and Families. To qualify under this standard, students must currently be receiving services and must provide official documentation for eligibility from the Department of Children and Families.

(5) In the instance the student’s parents/guardian does not file Federal income taxes, the following documents can be used to verify income eligibility for the Take Stock in Children program: a) TANF – Letter from State of Florida indicating that family has been approved to receive TANF benefit and names of household beneficiaries (the student applicant’s name should be listed as part of household on the document). The date of eligibility for benefits indicated on the letter should align with the application date for the TSIC program (i.e., the student should be eligible to receive TANF benefits at the time of TSIC application). b) Proof that the student is in Foster Care (currently active as a foster care student during the application period of TSIC). c) Signed document on school district letterhead, from the School district’s Homeless Liaison, verifying in writing that the student is homeless and qualifies for free/reduced lunch. The document date should align with the date of the TSIC application.