Information about the federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program is sent home with all students on the first day of school. Students who enroll in the Somerville Public Schools after the school year start can receive information at the Parent Information Center. You can also download application materials below, available in Word or PDF formats for your convenience:

School lunch payments can be made online, by check or by cash.

Online: Somerville Food and Nutrition Services uses an optional electronic web school lunch payment program.

Pre-pay for school meals at www.paypams.com .  You will be required to set up a FREE account when you first log onto PayPams.

Please note that there is a $1.95 non-refundable fee per online transaction.

Payment is only required if your child/children are not eligible for free or reduced price meals.

Check/Cash: A check or cash can be submitted to Somerville Food and Nutrition Services to pay for your child's school lunch.  Checks are preferred as cash transactions are very difficult to trace.  If a check is not possible, cash can be processed.  Checks made payable to Somerville Food and Nutrition Services can be mailed to 42 Cross Street, Somerville, MA, 02145.  You can also have your child submit a check during breakfast time to his/her school's Kitchen Manager.  To insure proper credit when paying by check, please make sure your student's name and school is noted on the memo line.  If you have more than one student in the school system, please indicate which child's account should be credited and for how much.

1. All students who are not eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch or have not submitted a lunch application are required to pay for lunch if they choose to get a lunch from the cafeteria. Students are allowed to debit up to ($25.00) and still receive lunch. Students that have reached this threshold of owing $25.00 will not be allowed to receive additional lunches until they submit payment. However they will be able to receive cereal, fruit, juice and milk anytime they do not have money. Students in grades K through 2 will be allowed to receive lunch regardless of the amount of money owed. All students will be provided with nutritious food each day and no student will be denied food.
2. The Food Service Department generates monthly outstanding balance letters for all students who owe a balance greater than $10.00 at the start of each month. These letters are mailed home directly to parents for notification of payment for the outstanding balance. All outstanding balance amounts or credits in student accounts are rolled over at year end to start the new school year.
3. The student late payment procedure will be disseminated to all parents with the free and reduced price lunch information package at the start of the school year and will also be included in the Somerville Colleague Guide and the Parent Guardian Guide.