ORLANDO, Fla. — With schools letting out for the summer this week, Orange County Public Schools is making sure children still have access to free meals.
District leaders say they expect to serve thousands of students this summer as more families look for help stretching their grocery budgets.
School officials said not only do many students rely on school meals during the school year, but this program helps make sure kids still have access to food while they are home for the summer.
District food and nutrition services said it expects to serve around 200,000 children through its summer meal program this year. And the number of sites offering free meals has expanded.
This year, OCPS is also piloting a new program at select rural sites that allows families to pick up multi-day meal packs to take home.
Officials say the program comes as more families continue dealing with high grocery prices and other costs.
“It affects them a lot,” said Mark Watson, Senior Director of the school district’s food and nutrition services. “They really, you know, rely on these meals during the summer. Because a lot of the kids are at some kind of summer camp or, you know, they’re in summer school.
“So they can continue getting that meal that they get during the regular school year and even during the regular school year. You know, these families need these meals. So, it’s very important that we have this program going.”
The program is open to any child 18 and under, even if they are not an Orange County student.
Most sites do not require any paperwork. But for the take-home meal packs, families will need a school ID, birth certificate, or the child with them.