Free and Reduced Meals at Danbury

 


We are excited to announce that families are now able to submit their application for our Free and Reduced Meal program online using their the QuikApps system with their PaySchools account!  If you have an existing account, just sign in to your Payschools account using the link above or at https://www.payschoolscentral.com/ and look for the "Free/Reduced Meal Application" at the top of the screen.  
 
Detailed instructions for using the  QuickApps system are available here: http://www.danburyschools.org/FreeandReducedMealApplication.aspx
 

Dear Parent/Guardian:

 

Children need healthy meals to learn. The Danbury Local Schools offers healthy meals each school day. Breakfast costs $1.80 and lunch costs K-8 @ $3.20, 9-12 @ $3.50.  Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. Reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch. This packet includes an application for free or reduced-price meal benefits and detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.

  1. Who can receive free or reduced-price meals? 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.

 

INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES 2023-2024

Household size 

Yearly 

Monthly 

Weekly 

1 

$26,973

$2,248 

$519 

2 

36,482 

3,041 

702

3 

45,991 

3,833 

885

4 

55,500 

4,625

1,068 

5 

65,009

5,418

1,251 

6 

74,518 

6,210 

1,434

7 

84,027 

7,003 

1,616 

8 

93,536 

7,795 

1,799

Each Additional Person: 

9,509 

793 

183 

 

  1. 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 Cari Buehler at [email protected] or 419-798-5185 to see if they qualify. 
  2. Do I need to fill out an application for each child?  No. Use one free and reduced-price school meal application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete. Please submit all required information. Return the completed application to Dawn McGowan, Food Service Director, [email protected], or call 419-798-5185
  3. Should I complete an 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 the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from the eligibility notification, contact Dawn McGowan, Food Service Director, [email protected] , or call 419-798-5185 immediately.
  4. Can I apply online? Yes. If possible, you are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application. The online application requirements are the same and will request the same information as the paper application. Visit https://www.payschoolscentral.com to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact Dawn McGowan, Food Service Director @ [email protected], or 419-798-5185  with any questions about the online application.
  5. 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.  
  6. I receive Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits. Can my child(ren) get free meals? Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Please submit a completed application.
  7. Will the information I give be checked? Yes, we also may ask you to send written proof.
  8. 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.
  9. 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 the following contact person: Shane Baumgardner, Treasurer, [email protected] or 419-798-5185.
  10. 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.  
  11. 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.
  12. What if 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.
  13. 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. 
  14. What if there is not enough space on the application for my family? List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. Contact Dawn McGowan, 9451 East Harbor Road, Lakeside-Marblehead, Ohio 43440 or call 419-798-5185 to receive a second application.
  15. 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 quality for free meal benefits. School food service personnel must have parent consent to share the student meal application if your child(ren) quality 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.  
  16. 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 419-798-5185.

Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame al teléfono: 419-798-5185

Si vous voudriez d’aide, contactez nous au numero: 419-798-5185

 

Sincerely, 

Dawn McGowan, Food Service Director


 
Please note you you may also fill out your application on line at http://www.danburyschools.org/FreeandReducedMealApplication.aspx. If you would prefer a paper application, please download and print from this link.
Danbury Local Schools
Danbury Local Schools | 9451 E. Harbor Road Lakeside-Marblehead, OH 43440 | P: (419) 798.5185 | F: (419) 798-2260
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