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'Summer can be the hungriest time of year': JCPS offers free meals to children during summer break

Any Jefferson County child age 18 or younger is eligible to receive free breakfasts and lunches five days a week at 140 spots around Louisville.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Children in Louisville who typically rely on breakfast and lunch at school can still get those meals during the summer.

Jefferson County Public Schools will be serving thousands of meals to children this summer through the Summer Meals Program

Any Louisville child age 18 or younger is eligible to receive free breakfasts and lunches five days a week at 140 spots around Louisville.

Andrea Wright, Nutrition Services Department coordinator said hunger has short- and long-term consequences for a child’s health, education and well-being.

“For kids who rely on school meals, summer can be the hungriest time of year,” Wright said. "Hunger doesn’t take a vacation, so making sure kids and teens have access to nutritious meals during the summer months is very important to keep them thriving while school is out.” 

Last summer, JCPS distributed 324,000 meals to children at schools, churches, parks, community centers and other sites in Jefferson County. 

Click here for the full list of the free meal locations.

This year’s food program runs from June 5 to July 28 at many of the same sites as last year.

The Summer Meals Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Participants must eat the meals on site and there are no curbside pickups like the feeding program that JCPS  employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We want as many families as possible to take advantage of this program,” Wright said. “Not only will it give their kids a nutritious meal, it will also help moms, dads and other family members save a little bit on their grocery bills.”

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