During the summer of 2021, nutritious summer meals and snacks are available to all children ages 18 and under. The Maryland Summer Food Service Program will provide summer meals and snacks during June, July, and August, when school is not in session. Families can access meals and snacks at sites located at schools, local libraries, faith-based organizations and community and recreation centers throughout the state. Grab summer meals to help families stretch food budgets during summer months. If your summer meals site is close by, take a family walk there. It’s a great opportunity to get some exercise and let the kids get the wiggles out!
Summer Programs to Stretch Your Food Budget and Reduce Learning Loss
Participation in summer programming and free summer meals helps to reduce learning loss for children, and helps them return to school ready to learn. Many sites will provide free bus transportation, breakfast on site and a meal to take home. Summer program options may vary by county, so contact your local school or Board of Education for details.
Find a Summer Meals site in your area:
The Summer Meals Program is FREE, so you do not need to fill out any applications or forms for your child. Students or parents can simply show up at participating sites during meal times to receive nutritious meals for their children under 18.
Visit http://mdsummermeals.org/ to find sites. Simply enter your zip code and mile radius at the top of the page and click “Map It” to find the locations that are convenient for you. Always confirm the information on this website with the meal site.
Check with your local school district for the most up-to-date information on local “grab and go” meal sites, times, and days of operation. Mobile and curbside sites may be available. Some sites may also provide meals for several days.
P-EBT benefits
P-EBT is a federal nutrition program that provides additional funds to families to purchase food during pandemic-related school closures. P-EBT benefits are intended to cover breakfast, lunch and a snack for eligible children who would have received these meals at their school, for every day they do not attend school in person. These benefits are set to be distributed throughout the summer months.
Children in households that participate in SNAP are eligible. In addition, children enrolled in school who qualify for Free and Reduced Meals (FARM) are eligible for P-EBT benefits. If your child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, where all students receive free meals, they are eligible for P-EBT.
Children under six are also eligible if they are in families receiving SNAP.
If you have questions about eligibility, we recommend that you call the P-EBT hotline at 1-833-330-PEBT (7328) or visit https://dhs.maryland.gov/p-ebt/
For a quick overview of P-EBT and ideas to maximize your food dollars, visit this P-EBT Questions and Answers site.
To learn more about the Summer Food Service Program and for additional resources:
211 - https://211md.org/
https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1728
