CINCINNATI — Thousands of children throughout the Tri-State area rely on free or reduced-cost lunches during the school year, but when school lets out and summertime begins, special programs are important to helping those students maintain consistent access to nutritious meals.
Those programs are often run by school districts, but in some cases non-profit organizations also have their own avenues to get free meals to children.
If you offer a free summer meal program for children and your organization is not listed below, email me at Felicia.Jordan@wcpo.com to be added to this list.
Here's a list of places where kids can get access to free, nutritious meals this summer.
In Southwest Ohio:
- Cincinnati Public Schools Summer EBT Program
- All CPS students who live in a household receiving SNAP, OWF or if income-eligible and receiving Medicaid are automatically enrolled in this program.
- The program provides families with an Ohio Direction Card or benefit card, where a one-time benefit of $120 per child will be loaded.
- Mt. Healthy Jr./Sr. High School — 8101 Hamilton Avenue
- Program runs Monday through Thursday from June 2 to June 26, then Tuesday through Thursday July 22 through July 31.
- Breakfast served from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
- Lunch served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Cincinnati Public Library locations
- Avondale: Meal 12:30-1:30 p.m.| Snack 3:30-4 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- Bond Hill: Meal 12:45-1:45 p.m. | Snack 4-5 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 13)
- Cheviot: Meal Noon-1 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- Clifton: Meal 3-4 p.m. (May 29-Aug. 15)
- College Hill: Meal 1-1:30 p.m. (May 23-Aug.17)
- Corryville: Meal 12:30-1 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- Covedale: Meal 3-4 p.m. | Snack Noon-1 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- Deer Park:Meal 12:30-1:30 p.m. (May 22-Aug. 11)
- Elmwood Place: Meal 12:30-1 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 12)
- Forest Park: Meal 4-5 p.m. (May 27-Aug. 17)
- Groesbeck: Meal 12:30-1 p.m. (May 23-Aug.13)
- Madisonville: Meal 2-2:45 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- Mt. Healthy: Meal 3-3:45 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- Northside: Meal 3:30-4 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 18)
- Price Hill: Meal 1-2 p.m. Monday-Friday & 3-4 p.m. Saturday | Snack 4-5 p.m. Monday-Friday & 11 a.m.-noon Saturday (May 23-Aug. 19)*
- St. Bernard: Meal 2:15-3 p.m. (May 23-Aug.12)
- Walnut Hills: Meal 3:15-4 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- West End: Meal 1:15-1:45 p.m. | Snack 4:15-4:45 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- Westwood: Meal 3-5 p.m. (May 23-Aug. 19)
- The Middie Meal Machine
- Operates Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Food truck that travels across multiple locations in the Middletown area. Click here to see its daily menu and location.
In Northern Kentucky:
- Newport Intermediate and Newport High School
- Available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. from June 3 through July 2
- Kenton County School District
- Times and dates vary based on location
- Cambridge Square in Covington and Summit View Academy are both offering morning breakfast as well
- Campbell County School District
- Meals are on a first-come, first-served basis
- Times and dates vary based on location
- Owen County Schools
- Owen County Lower Elementary from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Drive through the parent pick-up loop, share your household's last name, the number of children and their ages to collect food boxes.
- Grant County Schools
- Sherman Elementary — 3987 Dixie Highway
- Grant County Middle School — 305 School Road
- Pickups from the schools open from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. every Monday beginning June 9
- Other options like the Veggie Van, Lunch Bus Express, Mission Nutrition Van and Food Truck will also feed kids for free at varying locations and times
- Williamstown Independent Schools
- Williamstown High School Cafe — 300 Helton Road
- Monday through Friday, breakfast is served from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and lunch is served from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- You can also check the map below to search Northern Kentucky locations serving summer meals and snacks through the SUN Meals program
Good Morning Tri-State at 4:30AM
