Find Summer Meals for Kids
The Meals for Kids Site Finder was developed by USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) to help children, parents, and others quickly and easily find summer meal sites near them. The site finder, available for use at no charge, is a web-based application that also works on tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices without the need to download. Go to www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids to find meal sites in your area.
No Kid Hungry has also developed a resource for children, parents, and others to find summer meal sites near them. Go to www.nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals and enter your address to find free, healthy meals being served by organizations in your community. Families can also find meal sites near them by texting the word FOOD to 877-877. Data and message rates may apply.
Pandemic Food Assistance For School-Aged Children (P-EBT)
Children eligible for free or reduced school lunches may be eligible for Summer Pandemic EBT (P-EBT). Summer P-EBT is a food assistance program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food & Nutrition Service through the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Program provides food assistance benefits to households with school-age children eligible for free or reduced-price school meals during the summer when they don't have access to meals at school.
The benefit is $120 per eligible school-aged child. Benefits are issued via an electronic benefit transmission card (EBT card). Each applicant household will receive one EBT card loaded with P-EBT benefits for all eligible children listed on the application. Households currently receiving SNAP benefits will receive a new P-EBT card with benefits for eligible children.
Children that were enrolled and attending a K-12 school that participates in the National School Lunch program at the end of the school year and were eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school are eligible for Summer P-EBT. All households with eligible children must complete this application to receive Summer P-EBT. Complete the application to the best of your knowledge. Make sure the mailing address is correct.
If your children are not currently eligible but might be for the 2023-2024 school year, you are encouraged to complete this application, and then contact the school where your children will attend next year to complete a Free/Reduced-Price application by August 25, 2023.
Only one application can be submitted for each child. If more than one application is received for a child, benefits will be sent to the household listed as the primary parent/guardian with the child's school. Be sure to read and sign at the bottom of this application.
Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications
- Online Applications - Your school may offer online applications for your convenience.
USDA is responsible for providing a safety net for millions of Americans who are food insecure and for developing and promoting dietary guidance based on scientific evidence. USDA works to increase food security and reduce hunger by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education in a way that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence. USDA provides critical nutrition assistance through Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) programs that include child nutrition programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and emergency food assistance among many other programs.
Child Nutrition Programs
Child Nutrition Programs administered by FNS provide healthy food to children through programs that include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
During summer months, USDA works with community sponsors to serve millions of meals to low-income children through the Summer Food Service Program. This program helps fight hunger and obesity by reimbursing organizations such as schools, childcare centers, and after-school programs for providing healthy meals to children.
Additional Nutrition Programs
USDA administers many other programs to strengthen the nutrition safety net. For example, the FNS Food Distribution Programs distribute USDA-purchased food to school children and low-income families, emergency feeding programs, Indian reservations, and the elderly. USDA purchases a variety of food products in support of the National School Lunch Program and other federal feeding programs. These purchases help to stabilize prices in agricultural commodity markets by balancing supply and demand.
In addition, the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, within the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, works to improve the health of all Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers. It provides national leadership, technical expertise, and cooperation for the development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and Federal nutrition and economic initiatives.