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 at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, 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

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

ONLINE PAYMENT
Efforts are being made at this time to introduce online payments for lunch accounts in the Elwood Community Schools. We will begin working on implementing this program during Christmas Break. Once the system is in place and operational, payments including checks will be accepted for those wanting to pay at the school level. Payments can be made online through the portal that will be found on both the food service page and on the corporation home pages.

Cash and check deposits will still be available at the building level; however, parents are encouraged to utilize the online payment system. The online system will allow for debit cards, credit cards, and EFT deposits, and will post very quickly to your student’s account. There is a fee associated with using this service.

Parents will also be able to monitor their student’s account activity and balance on a daily basis. Those who open an online lunch account will receive a low balance notification when the account reaches $5.00.

It is hoped that this will make it easier for parents to monitor their Child’s spending.

BENEFITS OF EATING BREAKFAST
According to WebMD, Wayne Campbell, Ph.D., a researcher at Purdue University states that “Protein blunts you hunger the most, and is the satiating,” Reduce your kid’s hunger with powerful protein.

• Children who eat breakfast behave better in school.
• Those who eat School breakfast tend to have fewer absences and incidents of tardiness than those who do not.
• Eating breakfast as a child increases the likelihood of developing healthier habits later in life.

WHY IS BREAKFAST SO IMPORTANT?
A healthy breakfast provides energy for both a children’s body and brain to function at their best! Children who eat breakfast tend to be more active, more alert, and more attentive throughout their day. They also have improved concentration, problem-solving skills, and HIGHER test scores! Implementing healthy eating with your children now will allow them to create healthy habits to carry with them through life.