Free Meal Program Offers Lunch To Needy Students During Summer Months

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- When classes end for the school year many children lose access to healthy meals -- that's why the effort to offer free summer meals is growing.

Across the state, schools and recreation centers are opening their kitchens to feed children who would otherwise miss meals. They're helping kids get a free breakfast, lunch and dinner all summer long.

It takes food to fuel the body, especially young, energetic ones. But when school closes, families struggling to get dinner on the table are face an even bigger demand for food -- one they can't meet.

"Unfortunately we do hear that from parents, but also from our students that they don't have meals at home," said Stacy Koppen of St. Paul Nutrition Services. "That is why we have this mission, and we are dedicated to ensuring that during summer months, that we've closed that gap."

In St. Paul and Minneapolis, the school district and the Parks and Recreation Department team up to offer free summer meals to students, no questions asked. The program is funded by the USDA.

"Throughout the school year, about 80 percent of the students participate in the meal program," Koppen said. "Once school is out, those families find themselves at risk of hunger. Only about one in five students continues to get meals from us throughout the summer months."

Arlington Hills Community Center in St. Paul is one of the places kids and teens can grab a free lunch, snack or dinner beginning Monday. Last summer, the staff there served about 3,000 meals a day.

"We've come to find that if they're full, their tummies are full, they are more inclined to be engaged in our programming, than if not," said Andy Rodriguez of the St. Paul Department of Parks and Recreation. "It's a huge benefit."

Beginning Monday, a food truck will be added to the mix in St. Paul.

"We have about a half a dozen sites set up so far," Koppen said. "Our goal is to provide meals at at least 15 new locations this summer from our food truck."

The free summer meals are offered statewide for young people who are 18 and younger. Second Harvest Heartland has a website set up to help find a location close to you. Minneapolis and St. Paul schools have similar sites.