The end of the school year brings food insecurity to some local families who rely on school-provided lunches to feed their kids, but free federally-funded meal programs are returning to help families over the summer.
The following is a list of confirmed sites that will be distributing meals to school-aged children this summer.
It’s recommended families call the location prior to showing up to confirm meal times and locations.
Centralia
Free breakfast and lunch will be available to children 18 and younger through the Centralia School District from June 24 to July 19.
Meals will be served Monday through Friday, with no meal service July 4-5.
Breakfast will be served from 8 to 8:30 a.m. at Centralia High School and Fords Prairie Elementary School. Lunch will be served from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at Fords Prairie Elementary School and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Centralia High School.
Kids do not need to be enrolled in the Chehalis School District to access meals, which are provided via the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Food Service Program.
For more information, call 360-827-6198.
Chehalis
Free lunches will be available to children 18 and younger through the Chehalis School District from July 9 to Aug. 15.
Chehalis Middle School is the pickup location from July 9 to July 18. Kids can get meals from either James Lintott Elementary School or Orin Smith Elementary School from June 30 to Aug. 15.
Meals are served between 11:30 a.m. and noon Tuesday through Thursday throughout the summer.
Kids do not need to be enrolled in the Chehalis School District to access meals, which are provided via the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program.
For more information, contact site supervisor Aaron Bradford at 360-807-7200.
Onalaska
The Onalaska School District will provide free breakfast and lunch to school-aged kids at Onalaska Elementary School from July 8 to Aug. 1.
Breakfast is served from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday and lunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
The district is also serving meals the week of June 25 to 28; with breakfast served 8:30 to 9 a.m. and lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. that week.
Meals must be eaten on site.
Kids do not need to be enrolled in the Onalaska School District to access meals, which are sponsored by the USDA’s Summer Meals for Kids program.
For more information, contact the district at 360-978-4111.
Winlock
Kids can get free breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday from the Winlock School District from July 1 to July 26.
Meals are served at Winlock Miller Elementary School and must be eaten on site.
Breakfast is served from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. and lunch is served from 12 to 12:30 p.m.
Kids do not need to be enrolled in the Winlock School District to access meals, which are sponsored by the USDA’s Summer Meals for Kids program.
For more information, contact the district at 360-785-3582.
Rochester
The Thurston County Food Bank will provide free meals for kids through the Rochester Organization of Families (ROOF) from July 8 to Aug. 23.
Food will be served at 10140 U.S. Highway 12 Southwest in Rochester from 3:45 to 4:10 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Meals must be eaten on site.
The program is sponsored by the USDA’s Summer Meals for Kids program.
For more information, contact the Thurston County Food Bank at 360-352-8597 or visit https://tcfb.org/services/food-services/summer-lunch/.
•••
Editor’s note: If you have a summer meal program to add to this list, please email emily@chronline.com
