Here’s where Lansing area students can get free meals this summer

LANSING – With most classes done for the semester, some schools are making sure their students don’t go hungry this summer.

Free meals were popular among students and families over the last two summers amid the COVID-19 pandemic and some school districts are already back to feeding students again this summer.

For some meal programs, students and children can receive free meals, but they must be eaten on-site. During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, US Department of Agriculture waivers eased school meal regulations allowing schools to offer free meals for students to pick up.

Those waivers were set to expire before President Joe Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act on Saturday, extending those waivers for a third summer. The bill continues waivers that allow schools to offer free grab-and-go meals, but some schools will continue to only offer meals to be eaten on-site until the Michigan Department of Education says otherwise.

“We just want to get the word out that yes, meals are available for the community,” said Jody Taratuta, general manager for SodexoMAGIC, which provides food services for the Lansing School District. “It just looks a little different than it did the last two years.”

Some students and families have grown to rely on the free meals. Local summer school programs held in schools are increasing the popularity of those meals.

Alexandra Biggs, who will be a junior at Eastern High School this fall, comes to Eastern for summer school during the week, starting at 8 am and staying until 2 pm She’s come to rely on the free meals.

“I’d be starving,” she said. “I’m here all day.”

Here are some of the free meal programs that local schools are offering this summer. They are part of the Meet Up and Eat Up program. The USDA funds the Meet Up and Eat Up summer meal program for all children up to age 18, or up to age 26 for students who have special needs.

To see the locations of the dozens of Meet Up and Eat Up sites across the state, go to www.mcgi.state.mi.us/schoolnutrition.

Students eat lunch Friday, June 24, 2022, at the Boys and Girls Club of Lansing.  The center serves breakfast and lunch for about 80tp 100 students five days a week during the summer.

Lansing meals

The Lansing School District and SodexoMAGIC are offering free meals for any child 18 years old or younger at 26 different Lansing sites this summer. Those include:

  • Baker Donora Center, 840 Baker St.: Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19 from 12:20 pm to 12:50 pm No meals on July 4.
  • Boys and Girls Club of Lansing, 4315 Pleasant Grove Rd.: 8 am to 9 am and noon to 1 pm Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19. No meals on July 4.
  • Capital Area District Library Downtown, 401 S. Capitol Ave.: Noon to 1 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 14 to Aug. 11.
  • Capital Area District Library South Lansing, 3500 South Cedar St.: Noon to 1 pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, June 13 to Aug. 12. No meals on July 4.
  • Capitol Commons, 600 South Sycamore St.: 2:45 pm to 3:15 pm Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19. No meals on July 4.
  • Dwight Rich School of the Arts, 2600 Hampden Dr.: 9 am to 9:30 am and noon to 1 pm Monday-Thursday, June 20 to Aug. 11. No meals July 4-8.
  • Eastern High School, 626 Marshall St.: 8 am to 8:30 am and 11 am to 11:30 am Monday-Thursday, June 20 to Aug. 11. No meals July 4-8.
  • Edgewood Village, 6213 Towar Gardens Circle: 1:10 pm to 1:40 pm Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19. No meals on July 4.
  • Edgewood Villas, 1010 West Edgewood Blvd.: 10:45 am to 11:15 am Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19. No meals on July 5.
  • Everett High School, 3900 Stabler St.: 8 am to 8:30 am and 11 am to 11:30 am Monday-Thursday, June 20 to Aug. 11. No meals July 4-8.
  • Forest View Elementary School, 3118 Stoneleigh Dr.: 8:45 am to 9:30 am and 12:15 pm to 12:45 pm Monday-Thursday, July 18 to July 21. Field trip sack breakfast and no lunch on July 20.
  • Foster Community Center, 200 North Foster Ave.: 9 am to 9:30 am and 12:15 pm to 1 pm Monday-Friday, June 21 to Aug. 12. Field trips on June 29, July 27 and Aug. 10. No meals on July 4, July 13, July 20 and Aug 3.
  • Gardner International Magnet School Summer School, 333 Dahlia Dr.: 8:30 am to 9 am and 11:30 am to noon Monday-Thursday, June 20 to Aug. 11. No meals July 4-8.
  • Gardner School Camp, 334 Dahlia Dr.: 8:30 am to 9 am and 11:30 am to noon Monday-Thursday, June 20 to Aug. 4. No meals July 4-8.
  • Greed Community Center, 2400 Hall St.: 8:45 am to 9:15 am and noon to 12:30 pm Monday-Friday, June 27 to Aug. 11.
  • Hunter Park, 1400 East Kalamazoo St.: 11:40 am to 12:10 pm Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19. No meals on July 4.
  • King Arthur’s Court, 2201 East State Rd.: 2 pm to 2:30 pm Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19. No meals on July 5.
  • Marvin Beekman Center, 2901 Wabash Rd.: 8:45 am to 9:30 am and 10:30 am to noon Monday-Thursday, June 27 to August 4. No meals July 4-8.
  • North School, 333 East Miller Rd.: 9 am to 9:30 am and 11:30 am to 12:30 pm Monday-Thursday, June 13 to Aug. 11. No meals July 4-8.
  • Pattengill Biotechnical Magnet School, 815 North Fairview Ave.: 9 am to 9:30 am and noon to 1 pm Monday-Thursday, June 20 to Aug. 11. No meals July 4-8.
  • Reo School, 1221 Reo Rd.: 9 am to 9:30 am and noon to 12:30 pm Monday-Thursday, June 21 to Aug. 19. No meals July 4-8.
  • Schmidt Community Center, 5825 Wise Rd.: 9 am to 9:30 am and 12:15 pm to 1 pm, Monday-Friday, June 21 to Aug. 12. No meals on July 4, July 13, July 20 and Aug. 3.
  • Sexton High School Apex, 102 McPherson Ave.: 8 am to 8:30 am and 11 am to 11:30 am Monday-Thursday, June 20 to Aug. 11. No meals July 4-8.
  • South Side Community Coalition, 2101 West Holmes Rd.: 8:15 am to 9:15 am and 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm Monday-Friday, June 20 to Aug. 12. No meals on July 4.
  • Summerplace Townhomes, 4901 South Waverly Rd.: 10 am to 10:30 am and 3:30 pm to 4 pm Monday-Friday, June 13 to Aug. 19. No meals on July 4.
  • Valley Farms Community Center, 16101 Brook Rd.: 8 am to 9 am and noon to 1 pm Monday-Friday. June 13 to Aug. 12. No meals on July 4.

Get meals

In Holt, any child 18 or younger — or up to 26 if they are enrolled in a school district — from any district can receive free meals, with several meal sites to pick from.

All meals must be eaten on site.

Lunch sites include:

  • Delhi Manor, 4075 Holt Rd.: Noon to 12:30 pm Monday-Friday, June 20 to Aug. 5. No meals on July 4.
  • Holt Presbyterian Church, 2021 North Aurelius Rd.: 12:40 pm to 1:10 pm Monday-Friday, June 20 to Aug. 5. No meals on July 4.
  • Kensington Meadows, 4245 West Jolly Rd.: 1:20 pm to 1:50 pm Monday-Friday, June 20 to Aug. 5. No meals on July 4.
  • Hope Middle School, 2020 Park Lane: 7 am to 9 am and 11:30 am to 12:30 pm Monday-Friday, June 20 through August. No meals on July 4th.
  • Washington Woods Middle School: 11 am to 1 pm Monday-Friday, June 20 to Aug. 4. No meals on July 5.

East Lansing meals

East Lansing Public Schools students will have one site where they can eat free meals this summer.

At Donley Elementary School at 2961 East Lake Lansing Rd., breakfast will be offered from 8:15 am to 9:15 am from June 7 to Aug. 4 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Lunch also will be offered on those days from 11 am to 1:15 pm

No meals will be served during the week of July 4.

Contact Mark Johnson at (517) 377-1026 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMarkJohnson.

Comments are closed.