MCPS has shared that thousands of Montgomery County children will have access to free, nutritious meals this summer through the MCPS Summer Food Service Program, with meal service beginning Tuesday, June 23.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the program was created in 1976 to help bridge the summer nutrition gap by providing meals at no cost to children 18 and under, as well as people with disabilities who are over 18 years old.
According to MCPS, approximately 45 percent of students are eligible for Free and Reduced-price Meals during the school year. This summer, the school system anticipates that more than 12,000 students will receive meals at over 100 sites across Montgomery County.
Staff from the MCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services prepare and deliver meals to program sites throughout the county. Last summer, the program provided more than 500,000 meals to students.
Families may also be eligible for Maryland SUN Bucks, which provides a $120 grocery benefit for each eligible school-aged child during summer break. The program is designed to work alongside other benefits families may already receive, including SNAP and WIC. Children can receive both MCPS summer meals and SUN Bucks.
For more information, including menus and open sites with addresses, visit the MCPS Summer Meals webpage.
