NYC Launches Free Sumer Meals Program For Kids

NEW YORK, NY — New York City's free summer meals program will launch June 29 this year, city Department of Education officials announced Thursday.

Children under the age of 18 will be entitled to pick up free breakfast and lunch at nearly 1,100 sites throughout New York City including schools, parks, pools, libraries and food trucks, DOE officials said. This year the program is expanding to include partnerships with Police Athletic League (PAL) PLAYSTREETS and Youth Police Academies.

"Eating a nutritious breakfast and lunch is essential to a child’s development, and the Summer Meals program helps ensure students return to school in September focused and ready to learn," NYC Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said in a statement. "This year, we are especially excited to partner with the NYPD to expand the program to PAL sites across the City, ensuring more students have access to the healthy meals they need."

The DOE will work with the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit ahead of the June 29 launch on outreach work about the free summer meals program, department officials said Thursday. The outreach campaign, combined with DOE advertising will include branding and designs in English and Spanish on subways and bus shelters and advertisements on community, online and ethnic news outlets, department officials said.

"The Summer Meals program offers easily accessible, healthy meals, and we encourage families to take advantage of this opportunity," Deputy Chancellor Elizabeth Rose said in a statement. "This year, we’re investing in more advertising and new partnerships to ensure we are reaching as many children across the City as possible."

The free meals have an emphasis on healthy eating and include menu items such as whole grain bagel, organic cereal, seasonal fresh fruit, personal flatbread pizza and a "kid friendly" kale salad, according to the DOE.

Last year 7.5 million free meals were distributed by the DOE's summer meals program, an increase of 400,000 compared to 2011, department officials said Thursday. The program costs about $7 million annually.

"Thanks to this program, kids across the entire City will have access to free, nutritious meals throughout the entire summer, ensuring that they can remain active and healthy and enjoy their summers," Megan Cryan, New York director of No Kid Hungry said in a statement.

Menus and meal locations can be found here.

Photo courtesy NYC Department of Education