CANTON – All Canton Central School students will receive free breakfast and lunch as part of New York State’s participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). 

This initiative provides reimbursable meals at no cost to students, ensuring every child has access to nutritious food during the school day.

While meals are now free to all students, families are still encouraged to complete a Free and Reduced-Price Meals application. These forms help determine student eligibility under federal income guidelines and ensure the district continues to receive important funding and program support.

Families receiving benefits through programs like SNAP, TANF, or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) may already qualify for free meals and will be notified by the school if they are directly certified. If families are unsure about their certification status, they should contact the school.

Children may also qualify for free meals if they are considered Other Source Categorically Eligible, including those who are: Homeless, migrant or runaway, in foster care and enrolled in Head Start or an eligible pre-kindergarten program.

Foster children are automatically eligible for free meals, regardless of family income. Including foster children on the application may help other children in the household qualify for benefits.

Families who do not qualify under these categories but wish to apply based on income should complete the application sent home or obtain one from the school office. Only one application per household is needed and can be submitted at any time during the school year.

For more information or assistance with the application, contact Kaelynn Gilmore, Food Service Director, at 315-386-8561.