TCAPS Food & Nutrition Services

Additional P-EBT Benefits May Be Available for Free/Reduced Meal Students - Deadline to Act June 30th

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has partnered with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) by creating the Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) Program which provides supplemental food assistance benefits to students who have temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parents or guardians of students eligible for Free and Reduced Meals are encouraged to review the important information contained in the school-specific flyer links below.

School-Specific P-EBT Flyers

Blair	Silver Lake
Central Grade	TCAPS Montessori
Central High	TC High
Cherry Knoll	Traverse Heights/TBAISD
Courtade	West Middle
East Middle	West Senior High
Eastern	Westwoods
Long Lake	Willow Hill

Information to highlight includes:
 

• P-EBT benefits are only available for free/reduced students.
• P-EBT benefits are automatically issued for any month your school has virtual or hybrid learning.
• The flyer contains any month(s) that benefits were NOT issued.
• If your student did not have access to school meals during the month listed (ie: was out ill or had to quarantine) you may be eligible for additional benefits.
• You must request a “proof document” from Keri McCumber in the TCAPS business office at mccumberke@tcaps.net by Friday, June 25, 2021, so it can be returned to you in time to submit to MDHHS. Please be sure to include student name, birthdate and school location. 
• You must submit the proof document and reconsideration form to MDHHS by Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/PEBT or call 1.833.905.0028.

Saturday Bulk Meal Distribution

All families may pick up free meals on Saturdays at West Middle School from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on the bus ramp off of Franke Rd. behind Meijer. Weekend meals are available for any TCAPS families that would like them,  which include breakfast and lunch meals for Saturday and Sunday. We also offer seven days worth of breakfast and lunch meals for all virtual students and children who are not students at TCAPS.

Meals are at no cost to all children 18 or younger or adults with disabilities under 26. The child does not need to be present to receive these meals. Please take advantage of this wonderful program to feed our community children.

No Cost Meal for Entire 2020-21 School Year

For the entire 2020-21 school year, all TCAPS students may receive breakfast and lunch every day at no cost.

For Students With Allergies

For students with allergies, please contact the school you will be picking up from so they can order the food required. Please fill out this form and return it to your pick up area so that we can legally substitute the needed food for the student's allergies.

**Apply Today for Free & Reduced Meals 

 Applications should be completed each year; these applications are also used for several other grant programs in TCAPS. In addition, students who qualify for free and reduced meals also qualify for college application fee waivers and SAT/ACT fee waivers. So please submit your Free & Reduced Meals Application here.

2020 Food Assistance Guide

View A Guide to Food Assistance and Eating Local for information on local pantries, food assistance programs, and more.

Food & Nutrition Services

Welcome to the Food & Nutrition Services department of the Traverse City Area Public Schools district. We are very proud of our operations and take pride in offering nutritious and delicious meals every day. We encourage input from all of our customers, so feel free to contact TCAPS Food & Nutrition Services Director Tom Freitas at 231.933.1911 with any ideas, suggestions or comments. We look forward to making your dining experience enjoyable.

Our Mission

The mission of TCAPS’ Food and Nutrition Services is to improve the health of students by providing flavorful and nutritious meals at an affordable cost. Our goals are to provide service to the school, to enhance the educational environment, and have a positive impact on the community.  

TCAPS Wellness Policy

• TCAPS Wellness Policy
• FOR STAFF ONLY: School Nutrition & Wellness Policy Assessment Survey

Meal Programs

• Information about the National School Lunch Program & TCAPS Food Service Meal Programs

Summer Meal Programs

• The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a national program that offers nutritious free meals for children and teens, ages 18 and younger, at several locations throughout the nation during the summer while school is out of session. Use this mapping tool to find the location nearest you.

2020-21 Food Service News Update

10 Cents a Meal Program

TCAPS has applied for another year of participating in the 10 Cents a Meal Program which is a program where the district receives 10 cents from the State for every 20 cents of Michigan produce the district purchases. This is a program that TCAPS helped begin locally and it has expanded throughout Michigan. We are now in our 7th year of participation in this program. Please see the information below on the latest news on the expansion of this program. 

Governor Whitmer signed the state’s budget for the next fiscal year, which goes into effect in October. Despite tight state finances, she and the legislature affirmed the value of the program by expanding it statewide. 

Funding for the 10 Cents a Meal grant program was increased from $575,000 to $2 million in the 2021 budget and expanded the program to allow schools across the entire state to apply for the first time,  instead of just pilot regions. Additionally for the first time, sponsors of early childhood education centers that are successfully participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) are eligible to apply.

Anti-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

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 Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800.877.8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, 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
  Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
• Fax: 202.690.7442; or
• Email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.