Schools Will Provide Thousands of Free Summer Lunches

Montgomery County Public Schools’ Summer Food Service Program will provide thousands of children in various summer school or summer recreation programs with free, nutritious meals, according to a news release.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the MCPS Summer Food Service Program was created in 1976 to bridge the summer break nutrition gap by providing nutritious meals at no cost to children 18 and younger. More than 35 percent of children in the school system are eligible for free and reduced-price meals during the school year and that number continues to increase.

School officials estimate 10,000 students will receive meals at 120 sites, including seven walk-in locations. Staff from the MCPS Division of Food and Nutrition Services prepare and deliver the food to all of the program sites in the county. Last year, the program provided more than 400,000 meals.

The seven walk-in sites are: Fox Chapel, Gaithersburg, Maryvale, and Whetstone elementary schools; Argyle and Francis Scott Key middle schools; and John F. Kennedy High School.

Meals will be provided at:

• Fox Chapel, Gaithersburg, and Maryvale elementary schools and Kennedy High School from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Whetstone Elementary School from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Argyle and Francis Scott Key middle schools from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The MCPS Summer Food Service Program partners include the Montgomery County Council; Maryland Hunger Solutions; No Kid Hungry, Share Our Strength; the Maryland State Department of Education; the Montgomery County Department of Recreation; the City of Gaithersburg; the City of Rockville; the Judy Center; and Linkages to Learning.