Free Summer Meals for Children From the Summer Food Service Program
The Summer Food Service Program, run nationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered in Pennsylvania by the Department of Education, provides free, nutritious meals to children when school is not in session.
Children 18 years and under may receive meals. People over age 18 who are enrolled in school programs for persons with disabilities may also receive meals. Meals are served at sites located in areas with significant concentrations of children from low-income families.
There are three kinds of sites: open, enrolled and camps. Open sites qualify through area eligibility methods and serve all children in the area on a first come, first serve basis, so a family does not fill out a form to eat there. Enrolled sites and camp sites serve an identified group of children with proven needs and must document eligibility through school lists or a Household Application for Free and Reduced-Price Summer Meals, which asks the household to show income levels in the range that will qualify for the program. The income figures are not printed.
Meals served in the program must meet federal nutrition requirements, which are designed to provide balanced, healthy meals and snacks that meet the nutritional and energy needs of children. Nonprofit organizations sponsor the program and are reimbursed for the meals they serve to eligible children at approved meal sites.
To find a meal site near you: - Call 211, 1-866-3-Hungry, or 1-877-8-Hambre - Text "Summer" or "VERANO" to 914-342-7744 - Look up addresses with the USDA site finder at fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder
Meal sites are added and removed throughout the summer, so check the site finder often to be sure you have the most up-to-date information. Individual site addresses, serving days and meal times are not published by the state, so ask when you call or text.
Meals are primarily served during the summer months of June through September. For questions about the program, the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Food and Nutrition can be reached at 1-800-331-0129 or by email at RA-SFSP@pa.gov. Office hours are not given.
Source: pa.gov/agencies/education/programs-and-services/schools/f…, read September 18, 2026.
The details
In Pennsylvania Department of Education’s words
The United States Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded program that provides free, nutritious meals to children when school is not in session. Children need nutritious meals to learn, grow, and thrive, even when school is out. Continued nutrition and the opportunity for social and physical development provided by SFSP help children return to school ready to learn.
Organization
Pennsylvania Department of Education
About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from pa.gov/agencies/education/programs-and-services/schools/f…. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.