The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has raised the income guidelines for free and reduced-price school lunches to account for inflation, allowing more families to qualify for the program. This will help alleviate the burden of paying full price for meals.
It is important to note that meals are no longer free for everyone but students with a reduced status will continue to receive free meals for the 2023-24 school year. Additionally, we are pleased to announce that ALL Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) students will receive free breakfast this school year thanks to the state of Maryland funding GCPS received.
We encourage all families to fill out a meal application, regardless of income or desire to purchase meals at school, as this application is tied to other state and federal funding. Families who are paying for meals can send money to the school (cash or check) or use LINQ Connect to put funds into their child’s account using a debit or credit card. Please be aware that there is a small fee charged by the app. There is no charge to fill out an application online or to see what your child purchases at school.
Lunch prices for the 2023-24 school year are as follows:
- Elementary paid lunch – $2.70
- Secondary paid lunch – $2.85
To fill out a meal application, view purchases, or add funds to your student’s account, please visit https://linqconnect.com/ or scan the QR code below. We hope that these changes will make it easier for families to access nutritious meals for their children.
