Free and Reduced Meals

A school meal consists of 5 components: protein, grain, vegetable, fruit and milk. To be covered by the Free and Reduced Meals program, a meal must:

  • include at least 3 of those 5 items
  • and at least 1 of those 3 items must be a fruit or vegetable

Students benefiting from the program are not limited to one fruit and one vegetable. They can choose as many fruits and vegetables as they want.

Please note that milk requested outside a full meal serving is considered a snack and is not eligible to the Free and Reduced Meals program. Snack milk is charged as an à la carte item.

Maredith St Onge

Director of Child Nutrition

How to Apply

The simplest way to apply for Free and Reduced meals is to complete an application in LINQConnect.

Apply today

To access the LINQConnect application form:

  • Log into your LINQConnect account
  • Under "Quick Links", select "Meal Applications" (bottom right of the screen)
  • Type "Oyster" in the search engine to find the Oyster River Cooperative School District (Durham, NH) online application form

To continue receiving free or reduced meals for the 2024-2025 school year, your application must be received by October 13, 2024.

Free and Reduced meals applications are also available at your child's main school office and nurse's office upon request. Please be sure the application you are given has the current school year listed on it. Applications from previous years will not be accepted.

The application form is available below in English and Spanish.

Instructions

  • Read the 2024-2025 Parent/Guardian Letter
  • Meal applications can be printed and placed in an envelope, marked with, "For Child Nutrition Director", and given to the food service staff at your school or mailed to: Child Nutrition, 33 Coe Drive, Durham, NH 03824.
  • Students from families receiving food stamps will be certified from a state listing, and a letter will be sent home when the student is approved. A family who receives food stamps, no longer has to submit an application.
  • When filling out the applications, please read the instructions carefully, and provide all the necessary information. This will make the approval process faster.
  • Please submit only one application per family, and as soon as the application is processed a letter will be sent home indicating your approval status.

For questions regarding the Free and Reduced Meals application, or for help with filling out an application, please call the Child Nutrition Director Maredith St Onge, at (603) 868-5100 Ext. 2012.

Additional resources: