ICYMI: Somerville Serving Free Meals To Students This Summer

SOMERVILLE, MA – The Somerville Food and Nutrition Services Department will offer free breakfast and lunch to students 18 years old or younger during the summer months. Students who are not participating in the Somerville Public Schools' summer meal programs will still have access to the FNSD's nutritious meal offerings.

The 2017 Somerville Summer Meals program will be offered on weekdays beginning July 5. Meals will be provided at different locations throughout the city, such as local parks, pools and playgrounds. The initiative serves a dual purpose – promoting fitness and wellness activities while providing a nutritious meal.

According to a study by No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices, meal programs can have short- and long-term effects on the health and development of children, such as mitigating summer weight gain and learning loss, and may increase high school graduation rates.

"When school is out during the summer months and children are no longer receiving breakfast and lunch at school, many families struggle to feed their children nutritious meals each day," FNSD Director Lauren Mancini said in a statement. "Our summer meal program works to fill this critical gap."

Locations and times for Somerville Summer Meals are below:

Free Breakfast

Clarendon Hill Towers (1372 Broadway):
8:30-8:45am, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 - August 18, 2017)

Foss Park Pool (McGrath and Broadway):
10:30-10:45am, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 - August 18, 2017)

KidStop @ Powderhouse Park (8550 Broadway):
9:30-10:00am, Mondays through Thursdays (July 5 - August 10, 2017)

Free Lunch

Blessing of the Bay Boat House (32 Shore Drive):
11:30-11:45am, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 through August 11, 2017)

Capuano - World Cup Soccer (Capuano Field):
10:45-11:00am, Fridays only (July 7 through August 11, 2017)

Clarendon Hill Towers (1372 Broadway):
12:00-12:15pm, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 - August 18, 2017)

Come Outside and Play ESCS Park (50 Cross Street):
11:30-11:45am, Mondays through Fridays, (July 31 through August 4, 2017)

Come Outside and Play Foss Park (McGrath and Broadway):
12:05-12:30pm, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 through July 7 & July 24 through July 28, 2017)

Come Outside and Play Hodgins Park (Holland Street):
11:30-11:45am, Mondays through Fridays (July 17 through July 21, 2017)

Come Outside and Play Kennedy Playground (5 Cherry Street):
11:30-11:45am, Mondays through Fridays (August 7 through August 11, 2017)

Come Outside and Play Trum Field (541 Broadway):
11:30-11:45am, Mondays through Fridays (July 10 through July 14, 2017)

Come Outside and Play Walnut Street Park (19 Walnut Street):
11:15-11:45am, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 through August 11, 2017)

Dilboy Pool (110 Alewife Brook Parkway):
12:00-12:15pm, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 through August 18, 2017)

Mystic Housing & Playground (Mystic Avenue):
11:00-11:15am, Mondays through Fridays (July 5 through August 18, 2017)

Image via Shutterstock

Story originally published June 19