PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Governor Dan McKee and Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green announced that the Summer Food Service Program is underway at more than 200 program sites across Rhode Island communities, where free meals will be served to students this summer.

“It’s our responsibility as a state to ensure that no child goes hungry,” said Governor Dan McKee. “The Summer Food Service Program is an important part of our plan to keep our kids happy and healthy throughout the summer. These meal pickup points will not only help us fight child hunger, but they will be places for our communities to gather, engage, and thrive post-pandemic.”

“Caring and supporting our students is a 365-day-a-year commitment, and that includes making sure they have access to nutritious food so they can keep learning and growing,” said Commissioner Infante-Green. “Through the Summer Food Service Program, students can continue to get the meals they receive at school throughout the break and return ready to succeed. We are deeply thankful for the many community partners contributing their time and effort to make this possible.”

During the school year, approximately 72,000 Rhode Island students are eligible to receive meals daily through the National School Lunch program, and the Summer Food Service Program allows them to stay well-fed throughout the summer. The program saw increased participation in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic and served more than 1.9 million meals statewide from June to August.

In addition to the Summer Food Service Program, many Rhode Island families are also eligible to receive additional pandemic EBT benefits. Students who received free or reduced priced meals at their schools through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2020-2021 school year and children under the age of six who also receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits qualify for two payments this summer of $187.50.