ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Summer is a time for sleeping in, hitting the beach and enjoying a much-needed break from school. But for some, it also means not knowing where your next meal is coming from.
That's why several schools and community centers will be serving up free breakfast, lunch and snacks for local kids all summer long.
The meals are available at no cost to kids 18 and under through the USDA's Summer Food Service Program. It runs until July 28 with participating locations throughout Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota, Manatee, Polk and Pasco counties.
In addition to the hot meals, Hillsborough County Schools has mobile sites throughout the community distributing pre-packaged cold lunches.
"It's just really hard to afford nutritious food right now, and kids need food to grow. They need food to learn, so that's our mission here. We feed kids and we try to get the word out to as many families as possible," Shani Hall, a nutritionist with Hillsborough County Schools, said in a statement.
Here's how to find a location near you.
- Visit SummerBreakSpot.com and enter your ZIP code, city or address into the search bar in the interactive map.
- From there, you can see participating schools, parks, libraries, non-profits and community centers that offer free meals.
- Note that some locations serve breakfast and lunch while others serve only lunch. Hours and days also vary depending on the location. You can see the details by clicking the plus sign next to "breakfast hours" and "lunch hours under each location in the list.
You also have the option to dial 2-1-1 or text "FOOD" or "COMIDA" to 304-304 to find a meal distribution location near you.
What kind of food will be served?
Breakfast:
- 1 serving of milk
- 1 serving of fruits or vegetables
- 1 serving of grains
Lunch:
- 1 serving of milk
- 2 servings of fruits and/or vegetables
- 1 serving of grains
- 1 serving of protein
Snacks include 2 of the following:
- 1 serving of milk
- 1 serving of fruits or vegetables
- 1 serving of grains
- 1 serving of protein
Kids do not need to sign up for the program to be eligible. They can simply go to a participating location during meal times to receive a meal.
Anyone with additional questions about the Summer Food Service Program can email InfoFNW@FDACS.gov or call 1-800-504-6609.