Just because school is out doesn’t mean hunger takes a vacation.
During the school year, hundreds of thousands of children claim free and reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch program. But in the summer, those programs become unavailable.
That means summer vacation can interrupt consistent, nutritious meals for many children.
But in the D.C. area, the D.C. Free Summer Meals program tries to fill the void by providing free meals to eligible kids and teens during the summer months. Eligible students can claim free breakfast -- or breakfast and lunch, depending on the location -- most weekdays from now until mid-August.
Each meal contains fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
There are a few different ways you can find a free food site near your home. Most sites are located in schools.
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If you text “FOOD” to 8777-877, you’ll be prompted to enter you zip code and will receive a list of the sites nearest you. You can also call for information at 1-866-348-6479.
You can also use the USDA’s online map to locate sites nearest you. Just enter your zip code and the map will pull up locations. There are over 50 sites in the greater D.C. area.
Each meal site has different operating hours, so be sure to verify times at the site you intend to visit.
