For any questions or concerns please contact:
Luis Fernandez, Senior School Food Director
Phone: 518-257-9483
Email: lfernandez@gasd.org
Free School Meals
All Greater Amsterdam School District students are eligible to receive FREE school meals (1 breakfast and 1 lunch per day), regardless of family income, through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Additional meals, snacks and a la carte items will still need to be paid for. Students will be able to purchase those items with cash or funds available on their LINQ Connect accounts.
No application is required; however families should complete this Household Income Eligibility Form(HHIE)
The data gathered from this form can qualify students for additional benefits and allows the district to receive additional state and federal funding. The online form only requires an income range and is confidential.
For questions about the HHIE form, please contact: Susan Frank, Senior Shared Food Service Specialist, susan.frank@neric.org (518) 464-5133.
Students requesting a second meal, snack, drink, or any a la carte item must have funds either in hand or on account to pay for them. These items are not free. You can create an account for your child at LINQ Connect using this link.
Cafeteria Menus
You can view menus, allergens, and nutritional values on LINQ Connect, click here.
If you have difficulty accessing the above menus, please email Communications@gasd.org.
Breakfast
All students can get one free breakfast every school day. Breakfast is served every school day. Below are the times for each building:
Barkley: 8-9:30 a.m.
Lynch: 7:15-9:30 a.m.
AHS: 7-9:30 a.m.
Tecler: 8:15-9:30 a.m.
Curie: 8:15-9:30 a.m.
St. Mary's: 7:15-9:00 a.m.
If a student arrives after the instructional day begins, they can grab a “to-go” breakfast when signing in with Attendance. “Breakfast After the Bell” helps ensure all students have an opportunity to eat breakfast in the morning.
Research shows that children who eat breakfast:
show improvement on math, reading and standardized test scores
establish healthier habits for later in life
have fewer absences and incidences of tardiness
are more likely to behave better in school
consume more calcium, fiber, foliate and protein
LINQ Connect Information
Students will continue to have individual school meal accounts on LINQ Connect. Parents/Guardians can manage those accounts here and add funds for additional meals and snacks not included in the free breakfasts and lunches. Online deposits can be added to LINQ Connect here or checks can be made payable to Greater Amsterdam School District, Food Service Program.
Policies
Food Assistance Resources
Local Food Pantries
https://regionalfoodbank.net/agencies/amen-food-pantry/
https://www.catholiccharitiesfmc.org/the-food-pantry
https://regionalfoodbank.net/agencies/fulmont-amsterdam/
SNAP
SNAP provides monthly benefits to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other locations. SNAP helps families stretch their food budget so kids can get the nutrition they need to learn and grow. Apply for SNAP online at MyBenefits.ny.gov
The Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) offers one-on-one help applying for SNAP. NOEP can tell you if you may be eligible for SNAP, answer questions, and help with your application. It’s free and confidential. Find a NOEP Coordinator near you at FoodHelpNY.org.
Summer Food
Nutritious free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout the nation throughout the summer while school is out of session. Please visit the USDA website to find a location near you, or call 1-866-348-6479 to find a site nearby.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027(link is external), found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.