By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Seattle is once again offering free breakfasts, lunches, snacks and, at select locations, dinner to children and teens this summer through its annual Summer Food Service Program, providing nutritious meals at parks and community centers across the city through Aug. 21.
The federally funded program, which began June 24, is open to all youth ages 18 and younger with no registration, identification or income requirements. Meals are served rain or shine, helping ensure children continue receiving nutritious food while school is out for the summer.
For many Seattle families, the end of the school year also means the loss of free or reduced-price school meals, creating additional financial pressure during the summer months.
“The summer food service program is meant to serve kids who would normally be receiving a free or reduced lunch during the school year,” explained Tina Skilton of the Seattle Human Services Department Food and Nutrition Team. “Those families really rely on those meals during the year, and it’s a huge budget hit in the summer when they are no longer receiving them.”
Skilton said the program is intentionally located in neighborhoods where families are most likely to need additional support.
“We’re making sure that meals are available in areas with low-income kids where families might be struggling with the grocery bills and the high cost of food,” she said. “It runs for about nine weeks every summer, designed to complement the school year. As soon as school’s out, around the end of June, we start up in Seattle.”
Children may receive up to two meals each day, including breakfast, lunch, a snack or, at select sites, dinner. There is no application process or attendance requirement.
“Children are able to come out to meal sites and get a meal on any given day without having to do anything but show up. There’s no need to feel any type of stigma,” Skilton said. “There is no income eligibility requirement, no sign-up, no attendance—really easy access.”
For Temesgen Melashu, who helps operate the program this summer, the work has come full circle.
“This program is free to all youth. I, myself, was a child who participated in this program at a young age, and now I get the opportunity to work the program myself. It’s very full circle,” Melashu said. “This program is so important. It’s a vital nutritional need. And it’s a great way to get out and meet kids around your community.”
Seattle Parks and Recreation operates the program in partnership with the Seattle Human Services Department and United Way of King County, combining free meals with recreational programming throughout the summer.
Many park locations also offer free activities before and after meals, including arts and crafts, games and hands-on STEM programming led by Seattle Parks and Recreation Naturalists, giving children a safe place to learn, play and stay engaged throughout the summer while families are at work.
Under federal program rules, meals must be eaten on site, and children must be present to receive them. Parents and guardians may not pick up meals on behalf of their children.
Because the program is designed to be flexible, youth are welcome to visit different meal sites depending on where they are spending time throughout the summer, whether they are at home, visiting family or participating in neighborhood activities.
Meals will be available at parks and community centers throughout Seattle. Participating sites include:
Park locations (featuring activities):
• Beacon Hill Playfield
• Brighton Park
• Cheryl Chow Park
• Highland Park
• Judkins Park
• Little Brook Park
• North Acres Park
• Othello Park
• Pratt Park
• Roxhill Park
Community centers:
• Garfield
• Jefferson
• Yesler
• Bitter Lake
• Meadowbrook
• Northgate
• Rainier
• Rainier Beach
• High Point
• South Park
• Van Asselt
Families looking for the closest meal site can use the United Way of King County’s Free Summer Meals Site Finder or visit the Seattle Human Services Department’s Summer Food Program webpage for additional locations and schedules.
The need for the program remains significant. More than 18,000 Seattle children qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, and one in six children experiences food insecurity. Last summer, the program served more than 80,000 meals to children and teens who otherwise may have missed a nutritious meal while school was out.
