Kindergarteners at Durham Elementary School in Tigard eat a free lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oregon youth ages 1 to 18 can receive free summer meals at schools, libraries, parks and community centers as the Summer Food Service Program begins for the season.
Nearly 700 sites across Oregon are participating in the summer meals program, and many have already begun serving a mix of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Some sites will begin serving meals later this month and continue into July or August.
Roughly 1.43 million meals in Oregon were served in summer 2024, according to Oregon Department of Education spokesperson Peter Rudy. The program is mostly federally funded, but Oregon pays an additional five cents for every meal served, he said.
Each site has designated meal times, with some offering a to-go option, games and reading activities. Meals are open to all families without paperwork, income verification and regardless of immigration status.
To find a meal site, call 2-1-1 or go to the USDA’s Summer Meals Site Finder.
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