Abusing the Free Lunch Program - Vent

Please report her. I pay taxes so that people who cannot afford to feed their kid lunch don't have hungry kids. I don't pay them so that she can get out of another bill. You should be able to report her anonymously and hopefully the school will look into it.

I'd report her! Sorry but it's fraud. If she legitimately needs the program, she'll still get it. If not, she's cheating and it should be stopped.

It's fraud.
Guidelines are there for a reason.
I wouldn't have much respect for her.
I can't imagine too many scenarios I might find myself in to lie about something like this, but who knows?
Could she be embarrassed that she DOES qualify?

Sigh.

I qualify for the free lunch program at school (by a LOT).

Thing is... My ex makes a quarter million a year. (He makes more in a month than I make in a year).

So I can't use it.

Not having to buy breakfast / lunch for my son (groceries, which are less than school lunch) would mean being able to pay a bill every month that I can't currently pay (3 more months!! Cross your fingers for me)

The district used to let parents in my position (income disparity between divorced parents, they went off the lowest number if split custody) use the free lunch program.

They don't, anymore, because of the huge influx the past few years of people on the program.

Your friend isn't taking 'my' spot... But she and people like her are taking the spots of countless others. Who are having to choose between food & the utilities bill.

Report her.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Report fraud.

I also believe that these programs serve a great purpose and should not be abused. That is the same as welfare fraud, IMHO. These lunches are not really FREE; someone pays for them - taxpayers. Yes, lunch is expensive, but it doesn't cost that much to pack your child's lunch. I would lose a bit of respect for this woman.

And that is why America is going down the hole. She can sleep at night knowing she is abusing the system when it is for people that really need it. So there go our tax dollars supporting her as I spent probably a $1,000 a year on lunches. *SIGH*

When we applied for the meal program, neither my husband nor I were working. We had only just obtained the state insurance program, and didn't qualify for SNAP. This was all back in March.

We've both only been back at work for a little over a month. We're not anywhere near back on our feet yet, so we're very VERY grateful for the free lunches.

I would never dream of lying on the applications. That's fraud.

There were 2 Principals that recently got fired for doing this. They were making about $150,000 a year each and did this, disgusting.

The right thing to do would be to report her, even anonymously.

I am upset to hear this because it is the job of the school to check qualifications! I would tell the school that you have recently met folks that brag that they don't have to submit W-2s or submit them fraudulently. It is probably not just her and they should know about it. Be aware that many students parents are encouraged by schools to fill out the forms not because they think the child doesn't get real food at home or needs the assitance but because the more students on reduced/free lunch, the more money the school gets. I don't begrudge people to know how to play the game.

I'm sorry for this, because there are people (like my family, for instance) that truly need it. I homeschool, though, so null point.

However, our local school district is THE poorest in the state, with over 75% of children either on free or reduced lunches. Because of this, during the summer, the schools in town offer free lunch M-F to any child, ages 1-18. There are no requirements for this program - you don't have to apply, sign up, anything...you just show up. I take my children up the street to school every day during the summer for lunch, because it's a healthy, well balanced, free meal and it really helps with our food budget. What makes me mad is that there are several day care providers who take their day care children to free lunch, and yet are reimbursed for meals through the FDA or whatever. Another example of fraud, basically.

I don't have any advice...I'd probably anonymously turn the person in.

Ugh. I suppose you could report her, though I'm not sure what would actually happen.
But seriously, this is petty theft, like someone taking more than one penny from the little "take a penny" cup at the store. Major corporations get away with billion dollar bailouts and obscene tax exemptions and THIS is what you're worried about?!
Take a look at the national budget, welfare fraud is NOTHING compared to corporate fraud/lobbyists, you are angry at the wrong demographic.

A couple of years ago I read a report (by the agency that administers the program) that over half of my county's public school kindergarterners receive free lunch and/or breakfast. I was surprised the numbers were that high.

I don't begrudge the kids who truly need the food (for some it's all the food they get, sadly) but I really question what's going on when the majority of a population within my county are getting it. That strikes me as questionable.

But, as you said, at least kids aren't going hungry.

I'm not sure where you would report this person, or even if you should . . . and would it do any good?

I so feel you on this!!! I had a woman who was paying $1400 to rent a space for business. But her was on section 8 for her apartment!!! I couldn't believe it. My unemployed mom who is a widow was declined section 8 and we still can't figure out why. This woman is paying $0.00 for rent but $1400 somewhere else to run her business!!!!

The nerve of some people!!!

Where are the checks and balances for this program?? Wouldn't she have to include W2's with her application and how hard is it to check if someone is married or not? This kind of thing really upsets me.

At my daughters school, the free tutoring is only available for kids on free lunch too. I don't understand that. I don't lie about it, my daughter does not get free lunch, I get no assistance or anything (don't really need it) ..... BUT I have family members that totally lie to get free lunch, food stamps, etc. Drives me insane. I don't know how they get away with it.

Some kids are homeless.
Or don't have a "home" but live with relatives in a crowded home. Or they live out of a car.
They honestly, cannot afford a school lunch.
I see this in my own State.
But however, the extra remedial "tutoring" at my kids' school... is not tied to whether or not a child is on the free lunch program.
It is based, on IF a child needs more help... with reading or math and per the Teacher's recommendation of it, for helping a child.

My own son was in the reading tutoring program. We are not in the free lunch program. But it was a free reading tutoring program, that he and some other kids from his class, was in. As a group. This was when my son was in Kindergarten.
These "free" remedial reading or math tutoring for kids, is a State... program in my State under the Dept. of Education. Not tied, to the Federal free lunch, program.

That woman you talked to, admitted lying on the application for free lunch.
This is fraud.
People like her ruin it for those that REALLY need it, genuinely, and give the one's in genuine need, a bad name.

Lunches at the public schools in my State, are not "expensive" but it is a hardship for those who cannot afford, even that. Thus, the free lunch program for which they can apply for and qualify for. It is a Federal program.
Or, many families, send their kids to school with home lunch. Some kids even with only home lunch, only have a Go Gurt or apple or chips, in their lunch bag, for lunch. I see this all the time... I work at my kids' school.

Fortunately, all kids in public school, can get an education. Rich or poor.

What a lowlife. What she's doing says a lot about her character. It will tarnish her reputation and people will never trust her, like say she decides to volunteer for her kids sports team in the future years...people will wonder if she's stealing from the fundraisers! People don't forget that kind of stuff. I feel badly for her children who could be hurt by this too, and at no fault of their own. It most definitely will come back to bite her and probably already has begun too.

Lying to get services you do not deserve will always be an option for those who are low enough to take from others. The example? Horrible. And, frankly, depending on how it's run, the kids may not be too keen on people knowing they get free lunch when they are older. I was embarrassed and we absolutely qualified.

That's a situation where I might look at her and say, "So why are you telling me this?"

Someone dropped the ball on her application. They should have followed up.

please report her. do all a favor. you don't owe her to keep her 'crime' a secret. people pay taxes so that people who truly need it can qualify for it. what this woman is doing is what a lot of people do.
when my husband lost his job, and he qualified for unemployment, i suggested he apply for unemployment (25+ years of constant work). he was offended by my idea, because as he said, we don't need it. he didn't apply though he had rights to it.

i could never lie to get free hot lunch.... for one thing my son doesn't like all they have for hot lunch and another thing we can afford the hot lunch....i'd rather leave the funds to people that do need the help. we try hard to teach our children not to lie or cheat and this woman is showing her children just how to cheat the system. my son is very short for being 10(most 1st graders are taller than he is) and because of this we could very easily tell places he is younger than he is to get free meals or discount prices for admissions. but i don't want my son growing up to hearing me telling people lies while i'm teaching him not too....

What about knowing a person who lies about the husband leaving so that she had no income to claim for food stamps to get the max $!

The state does not verify information given on applications for services. It's too expensive to do so. They will investigate when fraud is reported.

And the reason that tutoring is tied in with the free lunch program is to simplify the process. The financial criteria for obtaining tutoring is the same as for obtaining free lunch. It's for paper work reduction.

I think I remember your previous post and also suggest that it sounds like, even tho your son is having difficulty, he's well within the acceptable range of learning.

I, too, am irritated by the fraud that goes on.

Yeah, that's pretty terrible. I probably wouldn't report her either, but it is sad to hear of someone who not only lied on the application but is so entitled that she brags about it. Sigh.

When my son first started at his school I was told he got free lunches. This came as a shock because I had never filled out the papers because we wouldn't qualify. So I asked and there was another boy in the district with the same name as my son who it was for, just a mix up. I do agree with you that yea it's sad that this is happening but at least they are getting a good meal. Not sure what I would do though becuase maybe she really can't afford decent lunches for her kids. Also I was shocked that a lot of schools in Orlando do free breakfasts and lunches dispite finances.