Preparations underway for Springfield’s Free Summer Eats program

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Preparations are underway for the annual citywide summer meals program for Springfield students.

School is almost out, but meals are still on the table. A free summer meals program for students is set to begin making sure no child goes hungry during the break. Each year, Springfield Public Schools and Homegrown Springfield’s Culinary and Nutrition Center team up to put the program together. Lydia Rodriguez, director of operations and communications for the Free Summer Eats program, told Western Mass News that it takes a lot of coordination for things to run smoothly. “We’re currently planning on locations, communicating with community partners, reaching out with school locations, park locations, housing, locations, and lots and lots of community locations across the city,” Rodriguez explained.

Springfield’s Summer Eats program offers kids and teens ages 18 and under free meals and snacks Monday through Friday. No IDs or registration is needed. Rodriguez said it gives students a place to relax, have fun, and enjoy a meal with friends. “The whole focus for everything that we do is on making sure that students have a safe welcoming environment to come to enjoy meals throughout the summer and so we make sure that there’s fun activities from we have our food truck that’s out on the road in the summer from cookouts in the park, coloring activities, toy giveaways, you name it. We’re making that possible throughout the whole city,” she added.

The program runs at over 40 school sites across the city, with plans to reach up to 75 sites by summer’s end. Rodriguez said, so far, there have been no major issues, funding cuts, or disruptions to food supply and more than 300 employees work around the clock to keep it that way. “So we’ve been doing this program for quite some time, so for many years, and so we have a great routine in place where we have lots of community partners that we work regularly and they come back each year,” she noted.

The free summer meals program officially kicks off on June 23. You can CLICK HERE for more information on meal locations.