Local children can enjoy free lunch through the Summer Food Service Program, a federally funded nutrition program open to all children aged 2‐18. Many sites are open to children and teens with no questions asked. Often, there are fun activities and there is always adult supervision.
To find a site near you, call 2-1-1 or visit www.211maine.org. There are 19 locations throughout Portland this summer. Many of the sites are located in parks and schools in North Portland, East End, and West End. Visit the Summer Food Map on the Portland Schools website to find the nearest location for you.
Find this Summer Food Map on the Portland Public Schools website.
The Summer Food Service Program makes sure that children who would normally be receiving healthy meals at school have the same opportunity to have those meals during the summer. During the summer of 2014, 606,963 meals were served in Maine alone.
In Maine, 1 out of 4 children are affected by food insecurity. Children who are hungry or food insecure are more likely to be in poor health, and less likely to form friendships, to be curious, and to learn.
