For millions of youngsters, summer isn’t a season of pure leisure.
Children who rely on free school lunches during the academic year frequently struggle to get the same support when school is out.
To help fill that gap, the U.S. Department of Agriculture runs the Summer Food Service Program, which ensures low-income children continue to have access to wholesome meals over the summer months.
How extensive is the program’s reach? Last year, roughly 3.8 million kids received meals at more than 50,000 summer feeding locations nationwide, according to a USDA representative.
How to Use the USDA Summer Food Service Program
To see if your family meets income qualifying levels for free meals, consult this chart here.
Free meal locations can include schools and independently run sites. Some states maintain their own maps and rules, while the USDA offers a national locator map.
For details about nearby sites, call the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8 HAMBRE for Spanish assistance. You may also text “FOOD” to 877-877 or “COMIDA” to 877-877 to receive a Spanish response.
Continue reading for information on locating free meal sites by state and any application procedures you may need to follow.
1. Alabama
Break for a Plate in Alabama gives kids and teens up to 18 two complimentary meals daily. To join, use the location finder to look for programs near you.
2. Alaska
Locate program sites in Alaska via the USDA map.
3. Arizona
Visit this page for details, or use the location finder to find nearby sites.
4. Arkansas
Arkansas asks parents to reach out to their child’s school to apply. Eligibility depends on income and household size. Use the USDA map to find local sites.
5. California
Use the USDA map to locate a nearby food site.
6. Colorado
Call Colorado’s Hunger Free Hotline at 855-855-4626, or consult the USDA map.
7. Connecticut
End Hunger Connecticut lists summer meal locations along with dates and times. The site currently advises checking back mid-June for active sites.
8. Delaware
Use the USDA map to find Delaware locations.
9. Florida
Florida’s Summer BreakSpot Program doesn’t require an application — simply attend during meal times. Some locations provide enrichment activities for children at minimal cost; contact the site to learn more. Find local spots here.
10. Georgia
To locate sites in Georgia, call 855-550-SFSP, text “FOODGA” to 877-877, or use the national site finder.
11. Hawaii
View the summer food site map on Hawaii.gov for 2016 locations. The 2017 listings aren’t posted yet; you can call Aloha United Way at 211 to locate a nearby site. Hawaii’s income limits are somewhat higher than other states.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks
12. Idaho
Use the national site finder to discover Idaho locations and contact them about applying. You may also call the Idaho Department of Education at 208-332-6821 or email [email protected].
13. Illinois
To enroll in SFSP in Illinois, get in touch with the state nutrition office at 217-782-2491. More details are available here.
14. Indiana
Find program information here.
15. Iowa
Use the USDA locator to find sites in Iowa.
16. Kansas
The Kansas Department of Education offers details here.
17. Kentucky
To find summer meal sites in Kentucky, consult the interactive USDA map.
18. Louisiana
Use the interactive USDA map to find nearby food sites.
19. Maine
For summer meal locations in Maine, see the interactive USDA map.
20. Maryland
Use the Maryland summer meals site search map to locate nearby sites. The map shows hours, days of operation and directions.
21. Massachusetts
Benefits.gov indicates that to apply for SFSP in Massachusetts you should contact a local school. School contact details can be found here.
22. Michigan
In Michigan the SFSP is also called “Meet Up and Eat Up.” Use the USDA map to locate a site. This calendar lists extra events at meal sites like ice-cream socials and family cookouts.
23. Minnesota
Minnesota Public Schools, which manages the state SFSP, released a free app, Summer Eats Minnesota, to help children find meal sites. The state runs more than 80 locations, and kids under 18 don’t need to register ahead of time. The app even displays daily menus.
24. Mississippi
To apply for SFSP, contact the Office of Child Nutrition at 601-354-7015. After applying, use the USDA map to locate nearby meal sites.
25. Missouri
The Missouri Department of Health offers a map of summer food locations. Reach out to your local site to apply for SFSP.
26. Montana
To find free summer meals in Montana, use the interactive USDA map, or call the Montana Food Bank Network at 800-809-4752.
27. Nebraska
Check the USDA map to find summer meal sites in Nebraska.
28. Nevada
Find where kids can get up to two meals a day by visiting the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
29. New Hampshire
Consult the USDA map to find summer meal locations.
30. New Jersey
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture posts a list of meal sites via a link in the middle of this page.
31. New Mexico
No registration or application is needed for children to receive meals in New Mexico. Use the New Mexico Summer Food Service Program interactive map to find nearby sites.
32. New York
Anyone 18 or younger can receive free summer meals with no registration or ID required. Outside New York City, use the interactive USDA map.
33. North Carolina
Check the USDA map for North Carolina locations. Families in central and eastern parts of the state can download a list of sites serving those regions. Parents should call ahead to confirm a site is operating.
34. North Dakota
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction keeps a list of sites offering summer meals.
35. Ohio
See the Ohio Department of Education’s interactive map for locations and serving schedules nearby. No registration is necessary. The state also offers an app to help find sites.
36. Oklahoma
Use the Food for Thought Summer Food Program interactive map to locate feeding sites throughout Oklahoma.
37. Oregon
Choose your city from the list to view a map of summer meal locations in Oregon.
38. Pennsylvania
Consult the USDA map to find summer meal sites in Pennsylvania.
39. Rhode Island
Use the USDA map to locate summer food sites in Rhode Island.
40. South Carolina
Refer to the USDA map to find locations serving summer meals.
41. South Dakota
Families in South Dakota can use the USDA Summer Meal Finder link at the top of the page to view a list of summer meal sites, or consult the USDA map to find a location.
42. Tennessee
Use the USDA map to locate summer food sites in Tennessee.
43. Texas
The Texas Department of Agriculture provides an interactive map to find summer meal locations and contact details.
44. Utah
Visit the Utahns Against Hunger website to locate summer meal sites.
45. Vermont
Check the USDA map for locations serving summer meals in Vermont.
46. Virginia
Consult the USDA map to find summer meal sites in Virginia.
47. Washington
Use the USDA location finder to identify the nearest site.
48. West Virginia
Information, application steps and contact details are available at Benefits.gov.
49. Wisconsin
Check Wisconsin’s Open Food Sites Map to find a nearby location.
50. Wyoming
Use the USDA map to locate summer meal sites in Wyoming.
51. Washington, D.C.
Use the USDA map to find summer feeding locations in Washington, D.C.
