Food Services
For any questions or concerns please contact:
Greg Nalewjka, School Food Director
Email - greg.nalewjka@gesdk12.org
Phone - 518-775-5708
Free School Meals
All Gloversville 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 must still be paid for. Students can 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 allow 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: Erin Wright, Shared Food Service Specialist, (518)464-3945, erin.wright@neric.org
Please note, that additional meals and snacks cannot be charged to student accounts without adequate funds.
Cafeteria Menus
Click Here For Our Cafeteria Menus
You can also view menus, allergens, and nutritional values on LINQ Connect, here.
If you have difficulty accessing the above menus, please email communications@gesdk12.org
Breakfast
Free breakfast is available to all students every school day. Breakfast is served every school day at the following times:
Kingsborough and Park Terrace 8:15-9:00 (but still serve after if scholars come in late)
Boulevard 8:30-9:00 (but still serve after if scholars come in late)
GMS & GHS 7:15-8:30 (but can get a grab-and-go after that if needed)
Students who arrive after the instructional day begins can grab a to-go breakfast when signing in with the attendance office. “Breakfast After the Bell” ensures that all students have the 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
Gloversville ESD uses LINQ Connect for school meal payments. There are four easy steps to creating your free account.
1. Go to LINQ Connect from any computer, tablet or mobile device: https://linqconnect.com/
2. Register for a free account
3. Search for the Gloversville Enlarged School District
4. Add funds securely to student accounts (or use the LINQ Connect app)
For more information, view the LINQ Connect resource center. Funds are still able to be added to student accounts in person with cash or checks. Checks may be made payable to Gloversville Enlarged School District, Gloversville School Lunch Fund.
Policies
Meal Charge Policy
Meal Modification Statement for Students with Special Dietary Needs
District Wellness Policy
Food Assistance Resources
Local Food Pantries
A database of local food pantries and meal assistance programs can be found here.
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. See if you are eligible here and 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 text “Summer Meals” to 97779 or call 1-866-348-6479 to find a site nearby.
2024 Summer EBT Information from OTDA
Eligibility: To be automatically eligible for Summer EBT food benefits:
• A child must receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or Temporary Assistance (cash) benefits, or be directly certified for free meals through Medicaid, OR
• A child must be determined eligible for free/reduced price school meals by their school.
These children will receive benefits automatically and DO NOT need to apply. Most eligible children will receive their benefits this way. These families will receive a letter this summer letting them know that their child is eligible.
For those households that do need to apply, children may be eligible if they meet two criteria.
• The child must attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which our district does, AND
• The household’s income must be at or below the income limits for eligibility for free/reduced price school meals (2024-2025 School Year Income Eligibility Guidelines)
If your household must apply to be considered for benefits, an online application (English and Spanish) will be available by July 1, 2024, here.
Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877- 8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
program.intake@usda.gov