Free summer meals are available to students across the state

STATEWIDE — This summer, all Indiana students age 18 and younger have access to free, nutritious meals and snacks at more than 1,000 locations statewide through the 2022 Summer Food Service Program.

To find a Summer Food Service site, families can visit IDOENutrition.com to search for sites near them. This tool allows families to search by the meal served and the days of the week where meals are offered.

Families can also call the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE or text “summer meals” or “verano” to the National Hunger Hotline at (914) 342-7744 for additional assistance.

June marks the busiest month for the Summer Food Service Program, with many families seeking help finding nutrition resources for their children.

To recognize the importance of helping make sure all children have access to nutritious meals over the summer, Governor Eric Holcomb issued a statewide proclamation declaring the week of June 5-11 “Summer Food Service Program Week.”

Site locations and meal service times vary throughout Indiana, and locations range from parks and community centers to schools, churches, and mobile feeding sites.

Meals must be consumed on-site.

For more than 40 years, the Summer Food Service Program has provided children ages 18 and under with access to free, nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months.

The Summer Food Service Program is a federal nutrition program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the Indiana Department of Education.

The program is designed to meet the needs of low-income children in areas where children may have limited access to good nutrition.

(Indiana Department of Education press release)