March 17, 2025 |Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Health & Wellness, News, Resources, Summer Eats program, Youth

MA Prepares for Summer Eats Child Nutrition Program 

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Healey-Driscoll Administration calls for additional sponsors for meal sites

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is preparing for the launch of the 2025 Summer Eats program in June and is looking for additional organizations to sponsor meal sites. Summer Eats provides children 18 years of age and younger with free, nutritious meals over the summer months when they no longer have access to school meals. Meal sites include schools and other community locations, from parks to summer camps. Last summer, 129 sponsoring organizations fed thousands of young people each day at more than 1,000 meal sites across the state.
 
Summer Eats is one of the ways the administration is working to address childhood food insecurity. More than 550,500 children across the state qualify for free or low-cost school meals during the school year. Two years ago, in partnership with the Legislature, the administration made universal free school meals permanent, expanding access to healthy, locally-sourced meals for thousands more children.

“We made school meals free for all students because we know food is a fundamental need for children who are growing and learning. Summer Eats helps address those same needs over the summer, and I’m thankful for all the organizations who step up to sponsor summer meals sites.”

Governor Maura Healey

“Students don’t stop learning and growing over the summer, and hunger doesn’t take a break,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We hope additional sponsors will join the many important organizations who already support summer meal sites.”
 
Sponsors administer Summer Eats for one or more meal sites and are responsible for all financial and administrative aspects of the program. A sponsor may be a public school department, local government agency, camp, or private non-profit organization. Summer Eats, formally known as the Summer Food Service Food Program, is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Massachusetts, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) administers the program, including providing sponsors with technical support. Further, Project Bread’s Child Nutrition Outreach Programprovides Summer Eats outreach assistance. 
 
“Students cannot learn or play when their hierarchy of needs is not met – when they don’t have food to eat or stable housing. We know that families’ food budgets go up in the summer when kids don’t have school meals. Summer Eats is an important tool that provides kids with healthy meals so they are fed and can return to school ready to learn and thrive,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick A. Tutwiler.
 
“We know summer meals are critical for students’ well-being, and we can’t offer these meals without sponsors’ help,” said Russell D. Johnston, acting commissioner of elementary and secondary education. “We believe that students can excel when they receive the support they need, and healthy food is one of the most basic parts of that.”
 
Many Summer Eats programs will open before July 4 and will continue serving meals through the end of August. For more information on Summer Eats, including how to become a sponsor, call Project Bread at 617-723-5000.
 
“Project Bread is ready and available to partner with new and returning Summer Eats sponsors to ensure that this critical program continues to support families statewide while kids are home during the summer months,” said Erin McAleer, president and CEO of Project Bread. “Currently, one in five households with children in Massachusetts are experiencing food insecurity, and Summer Eats is a scalable, sustainable method of ensuring children can access nutritious food year-round. We are proud to partner with DESE and the Healey-Driscoll Administration to strengthen and boost participation in Summer Eats and address hunger in every community across the Commonwealth.”