Food Pantries and Free Meals in Fostoria, Ohio

Author: FFP Ai Bot

Illustration: The Fostoria Free Press.

FOSTORIA- If you are struggling to put food on the table, help is available in Fostoria. Here are the main options, with details from the organizations themselves and county resource guides. Hours change, so always call before you go.

Pantry Plus of Seneca County

Where: 4481 N. U.S. 23, Fostoria
Phone: 419-619-0183
Pantry hours: Fridays, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., according to Pantry Plus

Pantry Plus says it was formed Sept. 21, 2011, and has helped hundreds of Seneca County families. According to its services page:

• You must live in the Fostoria 44830 ZIP code or within Seneca County.
• Household income must be under federal guidelines posted at the pantry.
• You can receive food once a month. The amount depends on household size.
• Bring a photo ID and proof of current address, such as a utility bill or rent receipt. On your first visit, bring names, birth dates and proof of residence for everyone in your household.

Pantry Plus also holds Thanksgiving and Christmas food bag giveaways and periodic bulk food giveaways. Watch its website for dates.

Note: Other directories list different details. The West Ohio Food Bank’s Seneca County list shows Pantry Plus hours on the third Tuesday of the month, and a United Way guide lists a second phone number, 419-619-2769. Call to confirm current hours.

Senior food boxes

Pantry Plus is the Fostoria pickup site for the state’s monthly senior food box program, run through the West Ohio Food Bank in Lima. Pickup is the third Tuesday of each month from noon to 2 p.m. You must be 60 or older. Pick up an application at Pantry Plus or apply through the West Ohio Food Bank.

Senior lunches

The Seneca County Commission on Aging serves congregate meals for people 60 and older Monday through Friday at 11:15 a.m., including at 601 Findlay St. in Fostoria, according to a United Way Seneca County guide. To reserve, the Commission on Aging asks you to call 24 hours ahead: 419-435-0436 in Fostoria or 419-447-5792 in Tiffin. Guests under 60 pay $3.50. Meals on Wheels requires an application through the same office.

SNAP food assistance

The Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services handles SNAP applications for county residents. Apply online through the Ohio Benefits portal or contact the agency at 900 E. County Road 20, Tiffin, 419-447-5011.

Part of Fostoria lies in Hancock and Wood counties. Residents there apply through their own county’s job and family services office.

Free hot meals nearby

The closest regular free hot meals listed in county guides are in Tiffin, including the Ecumenical Sharing Kitchen at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 46 Madison St., Mondays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (419-447-1743), and the Salvation Army, 505 E. Market St. (419-447-2252). See our companion guide to food banks and pantries across Seneca County.

Need more help?

• Dial 2-1-1 to reach United Way’s free referral line for food, housing and utility help.
• The First Step resource guide lists First Call for Help in Fostoria at 419-435-4484.

Run a pantry or free meal in Fostoria that is not listed here? Let us know so we can add it.

Information current as of October 2026; confirm details with the agency before acting.

Sources

Pantry Plus of Seneca County, home, contact and services pages (pantry-plus.org)
West Ohio Food Bank, Seneca County pantry list (wofb.org)
United Way, Seneca County Quick Guide, November 2025 (unitedwaytoledo.org)
Seneca County Commission on Aging, congregate meals page (seneca-coa.org)
Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services, Medical, Food and Cash Assistance page (senecadjfs.com)
First Step, Wood, Wyandot, Seneca, Sandusky and Hancock Resource Guide, updated June 2026 (firststepfostoria.org)