Free & Reduced Meals

How do children qualify for free and reduced-price meals?

Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents.

Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay a full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent. Local school food authorities set their own prices for full-price meals.

Additional Food Support Programs & Information

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Natick Families




SNAP benefits allow you to purchase healthy food while stretching your grocery

budget. Benefits of SNAP include:


  • Monthly funds to purchase foods that meet your dietary needs, and that you enjoy.

  • Automatic enrollment in the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which gives you back $1 for each dollar you spend on eligible fruits and vegetables purchased from a HIP vendor, up to a monthly maximum.

  • Ability to stretch your grocery budget even further by shopping at HIP authorized vendors at the Natick Winter Farmers Market.


Eligibility for SNAP is based on income, household size and certain expenses.


Please call to complete an application or for more information on how our town Human Services Department can offer your family assistance.


Debbie Budd, LSW

Natick Human Services

508-647-6540, ext.1906

Links to Food Resources in MA