New guidelines for free, reduced-price school lunches overseas Published April 5, 2007 MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- More Misawa families may qualify for free and reduced price school lunches under the newly-revised U.S. Department of Agriculture program. "Previously, Misawa was required to use Hawaii Income Eligibility Guidelines to qualify applicants for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program," said Rebecca Duncan, 35th Mission Support Group Misawa school liaison. "Now, Japan is permitted to use the Alaska Income Eligibility Guidelines, which has a slightly larger household income cut off. This could allow more families to qualify for the benefit." Earlier this year, Department of Defense Education Activity officials requested an increase in the reimbursement rate the USDA provides for school lunches. The USDA approved the request and also authorized the use of the Alaska Income Eligibility Guidelines in qualifying families to participate in the program. As a result, more families who have children attending DoDEA schools may qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, DoDEA officials said. Misawa has 568 children who qualify to receive free or reduced lunch benefits, said Mrs. Duncan. "This change could impact the 375 children that are currently receiving reduced-price lunches who could now potentially be eligible for free lunches," said Mrs. Duncan. "In addition, some applicants that were previously deemed not eligible for benefits could now qualify." This change also applies to families of children attending DoDEA schools overseas in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Azores, Turkey, Korea, and Okinawa. It does not include families of children attending DoDEA schools in Puerto Rico or Guam, who fall under their state Department of Education programs. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the Navy Exchange Service Command and Marine Corps Community Services are designated school food authorities for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools overseas. AAFES is the largest school food authority, providing USDA-approved school meals to students on Army and Air Force installations in nine countries throughout Pacific and Europe. Misawa parents should contact Rebecca Duncan at 226-2809 or e-mail her at rebecca.duncan@misawa.af.mil to apply or update their application with current pay information and determine if this change could benefit them.