Home Grown Info: The Statistics
In Ohio, school lunch debt has become a significant issue. Currently, parents owe over $3.6 million in unpaid lunch balances across more than 400 school districts. This rising debt forces schools to make difficult decisions, like offering students cold meals instead of hot lunches when they cannot pay off their debt. Many districts are struggling with this issue, leading to student embarrassment and, in some cases, children avoiding the cafeteria altogether.
About 50% of Ohio’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, reflecting a growing need. However, many families just above the income threshold for assistance (set at 185% of the federal poverty level) still struggle to afford school meals. This leaves numerous students in a gray zone, where they do not qualify for help but also cannot consistently pay for their lunches, further contributing to the rising lunch debt!
Some efforts, such as Ohio's expansion of free meals for eligible students, have been made to mitigate the issue, but the problem of unpaid lunch debt persists as food costs and inflation continue to rise.
In Ohio, the cost of a school lunch can vary depending on the district, but typically, a full-priced meal costs between $2.50 and $3.50 per day for elementary and middle school students. High school students may pay slightly more, around $3.00 to $4.00 per meal. Reduced-price meals are generally about $0.40 for qualifying families.
These figures can fluctuate due to factors like food prices, local funding, and whether the district participates in state or federal meal programs, such as the National School Lunch Program
Resources
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The fight to feed kids in Ohio continues
Ohio Capital Journal
The most recent state budget made changes to allow more students to be fed at no cost, but the battle to quell child hunger is still ongoing in Ohio.
The budget bill passed last year provided more than $4 million in funding to allow any students qualified for reduced-price of free breakfast and lunch to get the meals at no cost for the 2023-2024 school year....
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Ohio Budget Set to Expand Eligibility for Free Lunches, Still Falls Short of Universal Free Lunch
CleveScene.com
"They should use our collective resources to ensur[e] every child in Ohio has at least one healthy school meal every day”
About me
Growing up, I experienced firsthand the challenges of living in a low-income household. Raised by a single mother in a welfare apartment, I spent my early childhood navigating financial hardships. Throughout school, I relied on reduced lunches, and like many kids in similar situations, I faced the stigma and embarrassment of not having enough money for snacks or extras.
These experiences shaped my belief that no child should ever have to miss a meal because of their family’s financial situation—something they have no control over. I understand the weight of hunger and the isolation that can come with it. The truth is, much of our childhood defines who we become, and missing out on something as essential as a warm lunch shouldn’t be part of that experience.
This project is deeply personal to me. I believe we have a responsibility to take care of our communities, to step in where systems fall short. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to donate proceeds from all t-shirt sales to local schools, ensuring that no child in our area has to miss a warm meal due to school lunch debt. Together, we can make sure that every child gets the nourishment they need to grow, learn, and thrive—without the worry of where their next meal will come from.
