SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Home Grown Springfield will be opening 43 Summer Eats meal sites across the city to provide free meals for kids and teens.
They provide breakfasts and lunches Monday through Friday for children and teens 18 and under at no cost. No registration or identification is needed. The program is not limited to students in the Springfield school system any children in need are welcome.
There are 43 meal sites across the city this summer where children will be given meals for free, no questions asked. New this year, Home Grown has partnered with Springfield city libraries which means participating libraries will serve as meal sites. With this added access to educational programming at the libraries, students are fed in more ways than one.
Springfield Summer Food Locations and Menus
“Our unwavering commitment to serving our students doesn’t end on the last day of school,” said Sodexo Operations Manager Donna Briggs. “We never stop feeding our kids. Our team never stops.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Home Grown Springfield’s team members served over 9 million meals to students across the city when school was out.
Children do not need to be from Springfield or attend Springfield Public Schools to be eligible. To find free meals for kids and teens, text “Springfield” to 82257.
“Providing continued food access to our youth throughout the summer is vital to student wellbeing,” added Sodexo’s Resident District Manager Roger Weger. “Thank you to the community organizations who are partnering with Home Grown Springfield to serve meals; their dedication and support to expanding meal access across Springfield has been phenomenal.”