Children need healthy meals to learn! Findlay City Schools offers healthy meals each school day. The daily cost of breakfast is $2.00, and the daily cost of lunch is $3.00 or $3.25.
Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals, which can also qualify for school fees adjustments.
The reduced price for those who qualify:
Breakfast cost: $.30
Lunch cost: $.40
Applications must be submitted and approved to allow for the fee adjustments. The application for free or reduced-price meal / fees benefits can be found at PaySchools Central, which includes several language translations. There is also a paper copy that can be found here.
Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.
1. Who can receive free/reduced lunch?
All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Ohio Works First (OWF); foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court; children participating in their school’s Head Start program; and children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals. Also, your children may receive free or reduced-price meals if your household’s income is within the federal income eligibility guidelines limits.
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INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
2024-2025
|
|
Household size
|
Yearly
|
Monthly
|
Weekly
|
|
1
|
$27,861
|
$2,322
|
$536
|
|
2
|
37,814
|
3,152
|
728
|
|
3
|
47,767
|
3,981
|
919
|
|
4
|
57,720
|
4,810
|
1,110
|
|
5
|
67,673
|
5,640
|
1,302
|
|
6
|
77,626
|
6,469
|
1,493
|
|
7
|
87,579
|
7,299
|
1,685
|
|
8
|
97,532
|
8,128
|
1,876
|
|
Each Additional Person:
|
9,953
|
830
|
192
|
2. How do I know if my children qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway?
If members of your household lack a permanent address; are staying together in a shelter, hotel or other temporary housing arrangement; relocate on a seasonal basis or children live with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household then the children may qualify as homeless, migrant or runaway. If you have not been told your children will receive free meals, please call or email Stephanie Renn, Homeless Liaison at 419-427-5436 or email srenn@findlaycityschools.org to see if they qualify.
3. Do I need to fill out an application for each child?
No. Enter all students and adults from your home on one school meal application. We cannot approve an application that is incomplete. Please submit all required information. If completing a paper application, please return the completed application to Christian Martinez, FCS Director Food Services, 1200 Broad Ave Findlay, Oh 45840, 419-425-8208.
4. Should I complete at application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are approved already for free meals?
No, but please read the letter carefully and follow all instructions. If any children in your household were missing from the eligibility notification, contact Christian Martinez, FCS Director Food Services, 1200 Broad Ave Findlay, Oh 45840, 419-425-8208 immediately.
5. Can I apply online?
You are encouraged to complete an online application within PaySchools Central. The online application requirements are the same and will request the same information regarding household members and income. Contact Christian Martinez, FCS Director Food Services, 1200 Broad Ave Findlay, Oh 45840, 419-425-8208.
6. My child's application was approved last year. Do I need to complete another application?
Yes. Your child’s application is valid for that school year and for the start of this school year. You are required to submit a new application unless the school notified you that your child is eligible for the new school year.
7. I receive Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits. Can my children get free meals?
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Please submit a completed application.
8. Will the information I give be checked?
Yes, we also may ask you to send written proof.
9. If I do not qualify now, may I apply later?
Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
10. What if I disagree with the school's decision about my application?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to Krista Crates-Miller, 1100 Broad Ave., Findlay, Ohio 45840, 419-425-8202.
11. May I apply if someone else in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
12. What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1,000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, submit the report with the routine amount of $1,000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.
13. What is some household members have no income to report?
Household members may not receive some types of income that are asked for you to report on the application or may not receive income at all. When this happens, please write a 0 in the corresponding field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those also will be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank.
14. We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it also must be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment also is excluded from income.
15. What if there is not enough space on the paper application for my family?
List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. Contact Christian Martinez FCS Director of Food Services 1200 Broad Ave., Findlay, Oh 45840. Phone 419-425-8208.
16. Why am I being asked to give my consent for an instructional fee waiver?
Ohio public schools are required to waive the school instructional fees for children that qualify for free meal benefits. School food service personnel must have parent consent to share the student meal application if your child(ren) qualify for a fee waiver. If you agree to allow your child(ren)’s meal application to be shared with school officials to see if they qualify for a fee waiver then select yes in part 5. If you do not wish for that information to be shared, then select no in part 5. Answering no to this question will mean your child will not be considered for a fee waiver. Answering this question either way will not change your child(ren)’s free or reduced-price meal eligibility.
17. My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for?
To find out how to apply for Ohio Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 877-852-0010.
If you have other questions or need help, call 419-425-8208.
Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame al teléfono 419-425-8208.
Si vous voudriez d’aide, contactez-nous au numéro 419-425-8208.
