GREENFIELD — The city’s public schools participate in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program, a federally funded program that provides free and reduced priced meals to qualifying schools and/or families.

“We recognize that all children need well-balanced and nutritious meals in order to focus and perform their best at school,” Joan Bitters, food services administrative assistant with the Greenfield public schools, wrote in a press release.

All students are offered breakfast at no charge. Additionally, students attending Newton School, Federal Street School and Greenfield Middle School are provided with breakfast within their classrooms each morning, the press release states.

Starting Sept. 3, the schools will supply a second chance grab-and-go style breakfast for Greenfield High School students in the main entrance from 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Free lunch will be served at Newton and Federal Street schools, and the Academy of Early Learning, as these schools take part in the Community Eligibility Provision program.

Families at all other Greenfield public schools are encouraged to fill out a free/reduced lunch application.

“More families qualify than you might think, and income eligibility guidelines change yearly,” Bitters wrote in the release.

Paper copies of the application are available in any of the main offices or central office of Greenfield public schools. They can also be printed from the district website at gpsk12.org and filled out at any time during the school year. Only one application is required per family. Legal guardians are responsible for all charges made on student accounts until applications have been approved. If approved for meal benefits, the benefit status will be good for the whole school year and up to 30 days of the following school year.

Below are the current school year income eligibility guidelines:

■All children in households receiving benefits from Massachusetts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TAFDC) or specific categories of Medicaid are eligible for free meals. These families will receive a letter of automatic approval for free or reduced price lunches through the Direct Certification Program.

■Families that are recipients of any of these programs and did not receive a letter of approval should contact the Greenfield schools’ food service department.

■Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals. Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals, as well as children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway or migrant.

■Children may receive free or reduced price meals if a household’s income is within the limits on the federal eligibility guidelines. Your annual household income must fall at or below these limits: $23,107 for one person; $31,284 for two people; $39,461 for three people; $47,638 for four people; $55,815 for five people; $63,992 for six people; $72,169 for seven people; and $80,346 for eight people.

■If a person received a letter of direct certification for a child or children, they will not need to fill out an application for free or reduced price lunches.

■If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size changes, it could make a household eligible for free or reduced meals. Families are encouraged to fill out another application and may fill out as many applications as they choose during the school year.

■Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced priced meals.

■Student accounts are private and confidential with personal ID numbers.

Questions or assistance with filling out a free or reduced priced lunch application should be forwarded to the Greenfield public schools’ food service department at 413-772-1334 or email joabit1@gpsk12.org.