Keeping Kids Fed This Summer

Children’s need for good nutrition does not end when school lets out for the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding the public about its commitment to help families keep children in low-income areas fed throughout the summer, so they can return to school ready to learn and succeed in the fall.

“Children need nutritious food to learn, grow, and achieve long-term success,” said Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps. “USDA’s Summer Meal Programs ensure children have access to nutritious meals during the summer months.”

During the academic year, approximately 22 million children and teens receive free and reduced-price meals at their schools. But only about one in six of those—about 3.7 million—participate in the summer meal programs. As a result, low-income children are at higher risk of food insecurity and poor nutrition during the summer. USDA encourages innovative strategies to reach children throughout the summer months.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), collectively known as USDA Summer Meal Programs, help fill this critical nutrition gap for children 18 years and younger. A recently released study of the Summer Food Service Program found that schools were the most common setting for meals service, followed by recreation centers, parks and playgrounds, churches, and community centers. In addition to serving lunch, 60% of sites offer breakfast, and 14% offer dinner.

“Our state partners are at the forefront of innovation for the nutrition assistance programs, and we support them as they continue developing better ways to serve our children whether they live in urban or rural areas,” Lipps said. Lipps added that ensuring the integrity of USDA summer meal programs is a shared responsibility that is key to preserving the noble mission of these programs.

Summer meal sites assist communities by serving nutritious meals, while also providing education activities, organized games or sports, and other supervised activities. In addition, the summer meals program gives children an opportunity to socialize and build a community, while participating in a variety of free activities.

Below is a listing of Summer Meal Sites in Central California organized by city. Families can learn more about local summer meal sites by visiting the Summer Meals Site Finder, calling the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-348-6479, or texting “Summer Meals” to 97779.

Armona: Parkview Middle

Avenal: Avenal Elementary, Avenal High, Tamarack Elementary

Cantua Creek: El Porvenir Park, Cantua Elementary

Caruthers: Caruthers High

Chowchilla: Fairmead Elementary, Ronald Reagan Elementary, Stephens Elementary, Wilson Middle

Clovis: Clovis Community Day Secondary, Clovis High, Mickey Cox Elementary, Miramonte Elementary, Reagan Elementary, Tarpey Elementary

Coalinga: Coalinga High, Coalinga Middle, Sunset Elementary, Coalinga Library

Corcoran: Corcoran High, John Muir Middle, Mark Twain Elementary

Cutler: Cutler Elementary

Del Rey: Villa Del Rey

Dinuba: Dinuba High, Elizabeth Way Park, Rose Ann Vuich Park, Sierra Vista High: Continuation, Tulare County Library, Washington Intermediate, Wilson Elementary, Monson-Sultana Elementary

Ducor: Ducor School

Dunlap: Dunlap Elementary

Earlimart: Earlimart Elementary

Farmersville: Farmersville High, Freedom Elementary

Firebaugh: Firebaugh Community Center & Park, Firebaugh High, Hazel M. Bailey Primary, Maldonado Park

Five Points: Westside Elementary

Fowler: John Sutter Middle, Marshall Elementary, Fowler Senior Center

Fresno: Addams Elementary, Ahwahnee Middle, Ambassador Inn & Suites, Ann B. Leavenworth, Arriaga Community Center, Ayer Elementary, Aynesworth Elementary, Betty Rodriguez Library, Big Picture Elementary, Biola-Pershing Elementary, Birney Elementary, Bitwise South Stadium, Bridge Residential, Bullard High, Bullard Talent, Calwa Park, Cambridge Continuation High, Campus Chalet: Family Villa, Carter G. Woodson Multimedia, Carter G. Woodson Public Charter, Cary Park, Casa Velasco, Cedar Courts, Centennial Elementary, Central High East Campus, Columbia Elementary, Cooper Middle, DeWolf Continuation High, Dickey Playground Recreation Center, Edison Computech, Edison High, Edith B. Storey Elementary, Einstein Park Recreation Center, El Dorado: Wesley, Elizabeth Terronez Middle, Erma Duncan Polytechnical High, Florence E. Rata, Forkner Elementary, Fort Miller Middle, Fountain West Apartments, Frank H Ball Neighborhood Center, Freedom School, Fresno Adult, Fresno City College, Fresno County Main Library, Fresno First Baptist Church, Fresno High, Friends Of Calwa, Geneva Village, Hamilton Elementary, Heaton Elementary, Herbert Hoover High, Hinton Community Center, Holy Cross Center For Women, Homan Elementary, Adult Transition Program, J. E. Young Academic Center, Kings Canyon Middle, Kings Palace, Lafayette Park, Lawless Elementary, Legacy Commons, Lincoln Elementary, Manchester Mall, Mario G. Olmos Elementary, Martin Luther King Square Apartments, Mary Ella Brown Community Center, McKinley Elementary, Mclane High, Melody Park Recreation Center, Merced & Madera County Vapa, Merced County Eldi Program, Monterey County Steam Program, Monterey English Language Development, Mosqueda Community Center, Mountain View Elementary, Neighborhood Thrift, Norseman Elementary, Orange Center School, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Parkway Inn, Phoenix Secondary, Pinedale Community Center, Plaza Mendoza, Quigley Park Recreation Center, River Bluff Elementary, Romain Playground Recreation Center, Roosevelt High, Rutherford B. Gaston Sr. Middle, Sands Motel, Scandinavian Middle, Scout Island, Sequoia Middle, Steinbeck Elementary, Summer Crest Apartments, Sunnyside High, Sunnyside Library, Sunset Community Center, Susan B. Anthony Elementary, Tanager Springs, Teague Elementary, Ted C. Wills Community Center, Tehipite Middle, Temperance-Kutner Elementary, Tenaya Middle, The Courtyard at Central Park, The Parks at Fig Garden, Tioga Middle, Vang Pao Elementary, Villa Del Mar Apartments, Villa Martinez, Vinland Elementary, W.E.B. DuBois Public Charter, Washington Colony Elementary, Wawona Middle, West Fresno Library, West Park Elementary, WIC First Street, WIC Kings Canyon Road, WIC Shaw & West, Wilson Elementary, Winchell Elementary, Wolters Elementary, Yokomi Elementary, Yosemite Middle, Yosemite Village/Mariposa Meadows

Hanford: Lincoln Plaza, Jefferson Charter Academy, John F. Kennedy Junior High, Roosevelt Elementary, Lakeside Elementary

Huron: Huron Middle

Ivanhoe: Ivanhoe Branch Library

Kerman: Biola Village, Goldenrod Elementary

Kingsburg: Kingsburg High

Kettleman City: Kettleman City Elementary

Lemoore: Central Elementary, Lemoore Elementary, Lemoore High, Lemoore Youth Center, R. J. Neutra

Lindsay: City Park, Jefferson Elementary, Lindsay Library, Sweetbriar Plaza Park

Madera: Casas De La Vina, Madera County Library, Jack G. Desmond Middle, John W. Wells Youth Center, Madera Central Kitchen, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle, McNally Park, Pan Am Center, Rotary Park, St. Joachim, Thomas Jefferson Middle, Town & Country Pavillion

Mendota: Mendota Elementary, Mendota High, Mendota Junior High, Mendota Library, Rios Terrace, Washington Elementary

Orange Cove: A. L. Conner Elementary, Citrus Middle, Citrus Middle, McCord Elementary, Orange Cove High, Orange Cove Library, Sheridan Elementary

Orosi: El Monte Middle, Golden Valley Elementary, Orosi High, Palm Elementary

Parlier: Riverview Elementary, Salandina Villa

Pixly: Pixly Elementary

Poplar: Pleasant View Elementary

Porterville: Alta Vista Elementary, Jim Maples Academy, Oak Grove Elementary, Bartlett Middle, Belleview Elementary, Butterfield Charter High, Granite Hills High, John J. Doyle Elementary, Los Robles Elementary, Monache High, Monte Vista Elementary, Olive Street Elementary, Park View Apartments, Pioneer Middle, Porterville College, Porterville Public Library, Roche Elementary, Santa Fe Elementary, St. Anne’s School, Vandalia Elementary, West Putnam Elementary, Westfield Elementary, Woodville Labor Camp, Woodville School Cafeteria

Raisin City: Raisin City Elementary

Reedley: Alta Elementary, General Grant Middle, Great Western Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Navelencia Middle, Reedley Family Apartments, Reedley High, Reedley Middle College High, Riverland Apartments, Saint La Salle School, Silas Bartsch, Thomas Law Reed Elementary, Washington Elementary

Richgrove: Richgrove Elementary, Vera Cruz Village

Riverdale: Riverdale High, Riverdale Joint USD

Sanger: Jackson Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Ronald W. Reagan Elementary, Sanger Academy Charter, Sanger Branch Library, Sanger Community Center, Sanger High, Unity Estate, Washington Academic Middle

Selma: Andrew Jackson Elementary, Floral Gardens, Selma Branch Library, Valley View Village

Strathmore: Strathmore Elementary, Sunnyside Elementary

Terra Bella: Ducor Labor Camp 1, 2, and 3, Terra Bella Elementary School

Tipton: Tipton Library

Tranquility: Tranquillity High

Traver: Traver Elementary

Tulare: Oak Valley Elementary, Frank Kohn Elementary, Garden Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Maple Elementary, Pleasant Elementary, Maple Development Center, Tulare Western High

Visalia: Visalia Branch Library, Outside Creek Elementary, Manuel F. Hernandez, Valley Oak Middle

Woodlake: Castle Rock Elementary, Francis J. White Learning Center, Woodlake High

Yettem: Yettem Learning Center

Keeping Kids Fed This Summer

Keeping Kids Fed This Summer

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