All children under the age of 18 are eligible to receive free meals during the summer months through a program offered by the Ohio Department of Education. Individuals ages 19 through 21 are also eligible for this program, if they have been identified as having mental or physical disabilities, and are following Individualized Education Programs, (IEPs), through their current enrollment in educational programs.

Local sites providing the free meals for children can be found using the Ohio Department of Education’s 2024 Summer Meal Finder map, which is available online to the public.

The map is updated weekly with all approved open and restricted sites. There is also a link below the map, where one can download a file listing all the site location addresses, hours, and contact information. For case workers this list may be more helpful than the map. The general public can also simply call 1 (866)-3-HUNGRY, that’s 1 (866) 348-6479, to find their locally available meal sites.

You can find more child development and food resources by selecting the “Child Development” and/or “Food & Clothing” category tab on our “Social Service Utilization Library” page.