Philadelphia launches free summer meal program for children and teens. Here’s what you need to know.
In Philadelphia, the end of the school year not only marks the start of summer vacation, it also marks the start of free meals for the city’s children. The Free Summer Meals Program kicked off at the Heitzman Recreation Center with a host of special guests, including Eagles cheerleaders and mascot Swoop.
Aimed at fighting food insecurity and bridging the gap between the end of the school year and the beginning of the school year, the program engages children and their families with resources, activities, music and of course, nutritious meals. The program is designed to supplement the meals children receive during the school year, ensuring they can enjoy nutritious meals all summer long.
“No child living in Philadelphia should have to worry about food or wonder where their next hot meal is coming from,” said Mayor Sherrell L. Parker. “The City’s summer school meal program helps alleviate that worry by providing nutritious meals to young people while school is out. I am incredibly proud that the collaboration between the community, government, schools and social service agencies has made this program possible and that hundreds of school meal sites across the city are open this season.”
What you need to know
Children and young people up to age 18 can enjoy a free, nutritious and delicious meal at the Heitzman Center or any of the more than 500 locations scheduled to open by July 1. The goal of the program is to meet the nutritional needs of the city’s young people, even when school is out.
A complete list of free meal locations and hours can be found here. This tool can also be used to find free meal locations for the general public, adults, and seniors. There is also information about food assistance and benefits for Philadelphia residents.
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This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
This story was partially generated by AI and edited by The Keystone staff.
