Project Bread, Congressman McGovern Visit Summer Eats Meal Sites

On July 18, Project Bread, the state’s leading food security organization, and Congressman Jim McGovern, U.S. Representative, Massachusetts 2nd Congressional District, visited meal sites in Worcester and Webster during the 10th annual Summer Food Rocks Tour. They stopped at an early Summer Eats lunch location at Logan Field in Worcester followed by a second lunch stop at Gladys E. Kelly Library in Webster.

Led by McGovern and Erin McAleer, CEO of Project Bread, the tour emphasized the importance of Summer Eats to bring free meals to children and families while students are out of school, as well as Summer EBT, newly passed additional funds for groceries during the summer. Accompanying the tour were Lorraine Ward, Director of Food Access and Nutrition at the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA); Rob Leshin, Director of Food & Nutrition Programs at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and Lizbeth Silbermann, Northeast Regional Administrator for the USDA.

“When children go to school, Massachusetts guarantees access to free breakfast and lunch for all students. And when school ends, Summer Eats steps in,” shared McAleer during a press conference in Webster. “Summer Eats provides nutritious meals, fun activities, and a supportive environment for kids. This program is run by familiar and caring staff from school cafeterias, rec programs, and local parks departments, so it’s easy to feel a sense of community when you come to a site. Free meals for kids and teens makes a difference!”

In Massachusetts, 1 in 5 households and 1 in 4 households with children are currently facing food insecurity. Summer Eats, the Massachusetts Summer Food Service Program, provides free meals to children and teens in communities across the state to ensure they continue growing, learning, and thriving over school vacation. Meals are administered by sponsors in coordination with DESE, and activities and educational programming are often offered for children eating onsite. In Webster, children spun Project Bread’s prize wheel for Summer Eats swag and made kites, while enjoying a taco salad lunch.

Webster School District Business Manager, Lisa Kontoes, opened the press conference by uplifting their local successes through the Summer Eats Program. “When children have reliable access to food during the summer, they return in September ready to learn.” Providing Summer Eats meals since 2016, Webster has seen exceptional growth, tripling the number of meals provided from 2022 to 2023. “It’s our goal to take the stress off of our families by providing nutritious meals so they don’t have those concerns, and we’re off to a great start this year.”

Congressman McGovern highlighted the strength of the newly launched Summer EBT program that he championed in Congress. “Summer is often the hungriest time of year for our kids. These incredible sites across the Commonwealth and the country give kids access to nutritious food. And this summer, families are receiving an extra $120 per eligible child thanks to the permanent Summer EBT program. Every family deserves the same access to fruits and vegetables and nutritious food. I am hopeful that these summer meals, plus the new Summer EBT benefits will mean better food security and less hunger for families in MA and across the country.”

Silbermann continued to note the importance of summer nutrition programs offered by the USDA and the anticipated impact for families. “Massachusetts is really fortunate to have such strong partners who work tirelessly to make sure there are summer meals provided across the Commonwealth. [Summer EBT] benefits will reduce the number of kids who face severe food insecurity by one-third. We owe it to our children to set them up with the tools they need to grow, learn, and thrive.” USDA estimates that 650,000 kids will receive grocery benefits this summer through the Summer EBT, or SUN Bucks, program.

Leshin concluded the press conference remarking on the community partnerships that make free summer meals, and free school meals, possible. With approximately 1,200 Summer Eats sites statewide, and Universal School Meals permanently implemented this past school year Massachusetts, Leshin noted that “universally free meals continue 12 months in a year.”

For more than 20 years, Project Bread has worked in partnership with DESE to provide youth with access to Summer Eats across the state. All children or teens 18 and younger can eat at hundreds of sites statewide for free. No registration or ID is required. This year, Project Bread has granted a total of $226,000 to 51 Summer Eats sponsors for their program outreach and capacity-building. Summer Eats can be accessed in conjunction with Summer EBT, additional funding for groceries while kids are out of school. In summer 2023, over 3 million meals were served across over 1,400 sites statewide through the Summer Eats program.

For more information about Summer Eats, including meal site locations, visit www.projectbread.org/summer-eats, text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304, or call 1-800-645-8333 for help in any language.

About Project Bread

Project Bread connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. Summer Eats is one of the many nutrition programs they support. Any resident of Massachusetts struggling to afford food or worrying they might run out before they have money to buy more can call Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline for help in 180+ languages (1-800-645-8333) or send a confidential chat on www.gettingsnap.com for compassionate, personalized assistance. Counselors are available Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is also a dedicated line is available to those who are hearing impaired. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org.