The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sponsors the National School Lunch Program.  Through this program, students that meet certain criteria may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Free and reduced-price meal applications are available in the school offices, cafeterias, the Food Services Office and here online by clicking the link below. All district schools participate in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs.  District menus are analyzed using computer software to ensure that nutrient standards established by the USDA are met.

• CGESD Nutrition Services Provides Breakfast and Lunch every day for FREE to all students at Casa Grande Middle School and Cottonwood, Evergreen, Palo Verde, Saguaro, Cholla, and Mesquite Elementary Schools.
  
  Here are some fast facts about our nutrition services team.

  • Operates at nine elementary schools and three middle schools
  • Offers breakfast and lunch meals free of charge during the summer months at various sites
  • Serves an average of 5,000+ meals per day
  • Serves meals to meet USDA guidelines/provide essential nutrients and less than 30% calories from fat
  • Employs 50+ members from our community. 

If you're earning at or below current income guidelines. You are encouraged to fill out a meal application. Paper applications are available at your school front office, Nutrition Services office, and the district website.Apply at www.MySchoolApps.com, visit us at www.cgesd.org, or contact Nutrition Services at 520-876-3411.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) to administer Summer 2023 P-EBT in
partnership with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE). Students meeting the eligibility requirements will qualify to receive the Summer 2023 P-EBT benefit of $120. Nutrition Services only determine eligibility of free or reduced-priced meals. Please refer to DES for further questions.

Eligiblity for Summer 2023 Pandemic EBT Card

Arizona Department of Education has sent out a Memo stating that DES will begin issuing Summer P-EBT benefits to eligible students as reported by SFAs, August 2023.

To be eligible for Summer 2023 P-EBT, students must be enrolled in May 2023 or the last month of the 2022-2023 academic school year on a participating National School Lunch Program (NSLP) site and determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals by the last day of the academic school year or June
30, 2023, whichever comes first.

P-EBT cards are not issued by Nutrition Services. Nutrition Services only determines eligibility of free or reduced-priced meals. Apply at
www.MySchoolApps.com, visit us at www.cgesd.org, or contact Nutrition Services at 520-876-3411.

Individual student eligibility for NSLP must be determined from an allowable eligibility method specifically for school meals; for example, a household application for school meals or through records retrieved from the ADE CNP Direct Certification system. Individual student eligibility collected from an alternate income eligibility form (e.g., provided by Elementary and Secondary Education Act consolidated programs such as Title 1) will not qualify a student for Summer 2023 P-EBT. Students enrolled in May 2023 or during the last calendar month of School Year (SY) 2022-23 at sites that participated in Special Provision Option (SPO) Provision 2, Provision 3, or Community Eligibility Provision in SY 2022-23 automatically qualify for Summer 2023 P-EBT. 

A new meal application for the 2023-2024 school year can be found at Nutrition Services or online at www.myschoolaps.com.

• Online applications take approximately 3-4 days to process.
• Paper applications take approximately 10 days to process.

Any questions, call Nutrition Services at 520-876-3411.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civilrights 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: (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 13166; 7 CFR 246.8(c); DR 4300-003 6 (c.) and 8 c.(3);  FNS Instruction 113-1, Sections VII and XII;  U.S. Department of Agriculture Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Regarding the Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Persons with Limited English Proficiency, 79 Fed. Reg. 70771, (Nov. 28, 2014) (USDA LEP Policy Guidance); and DOJ LEP Guidance.