LOWELL – Lowell Public Schools and Merrimack Valley Food Bank are bringing good food and family fun this summer to 11 meal sites across Lowell that are open to the public.

Lowell Public Schools and Merrimack Valley Food Bank offers free meals for any child or teen 18 and younger as part of Summer Eats, a statewide free meal program – no registration or ID required. Sites include school, parks and recreation, and community partner programs. Between the two organizations, almost 90,000 meals were served across Lowell last summer.

This summer, Lowell Public Schools will be running operations out of their new “Fuel Up” Food Truck. The food truck will serve hot lunch/supper meals at 6 open sites. Merrimack Valley Food Bank will provide nutritious lunches at 5 area parks and housing property sites. Visit a site near you for a free meal and a chance to win a free giveaway prize! Come for the food, stay for the fun!

Lowell Public Schools Summer Eats sites open to the public:

• Boarding House Park, 40 French Street, Wednesday & Thursdays, July 9 -August 14, Lunch served 10:00-11:00 AM
• Bethesda Church, 70 Industrial Ave E, Mon-Fri, Starting June 23rd, Lunch served 11:30 AM-12:00 PM
• Shedd Park Splash Pad, 495 Rogers Street, Mon-Fri, Starting June 23rd, Lunch served 11:45 AM-12:15 PM
• Murkland/North Common, 350 Adams Street, Mon-Fri, Starting June 23rd, Lunch served 12:30-1:00 PM
• McPherson Park, 45 Richardson Street, Mon-Thurs, Starting June 23rd, Dinner served 3:00-3:30 PM
• Lord Memorial Pool, 81 Cross Street, Monday-Thurs, Starting June 23rd, Dinner served 3:45-4:15 PM

Merrimack Valley Food Bank sites open to the public:

• Highland Parkway, 580 Chelmsford Street, Mon-Fri, Starting Monday July 8th, Lunch served 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
• Christ Jubilee, 101 Smith Street, #2613, Mon-Fri, Starting Monday July 8th, Lunch served 12:00-1:00 PM
• McPherson Park, 984-1040 Bridge Street, Mon-Fri, Starting Monday July 8th, Lunch served 12:15-1:00 PM
• North Common, 413 Fletcher Street, Mon-Fri, Starting Monday July 8th, Lunch served 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
• O’Donnell Splash Pad, 1118 Gorham Street, Mon-Fri, Starting Monday July 8th, Lunch served 12:15-1:00 PM

Summer Eats assists families by providing free meals to children and teens to ensure they continue growing, learning, and thriving over summer break.

Participating meal providers, like Merrimack Valley Food Bank and Lowell Public Schools, operate and staff meal sites, often in conjunction with activities and educational programming. Kids and teens are required to eat onsite at most Summer Eats sites. Grab & Go meals are available in select rural communities.

All are welcome. No registration or ID is required.

In 2024, more than 2.8 million meals were served across over 1,450 sites statewide through the Summer Eats program.

Another summer food resource is SUN Bucks (Summer EBT), which is a federal food benefit providing additional funding for groceries for low-income families with school-aged children.

“Summer should be a time of fun and freedom—not hunger,” said Roberta Emerson, Program Director of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank. “We’re proud to support the Summer Eats program to ensure every child has access to healthy meals and safe, enriching activities while school is out.”

For more than 20 years, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and statewide food security nonprofit Project Bread have partnered to support meal providers in offering Summer Eats meals to children in Massachusetts. Throughout the school year, the nonprofit and DESE also partner to expand access to and participation in school meal programs.

This year, Project Bread has granted a total of $236,482 to Summer Eats sponsors statewide for their program development and capacity-building, such as equipment to transport meals or increase kitchen efficiency and meal quality, as well as staffing support and items to enhance site engagement, outreach and promotion efforts.

“The Summer Eats program is a vital investment in our children’s futures, making sure they have access to nutritious, delicious food at no cost to their families, even when schools are out,” says Erin McAleer, President & CEO of Project Bread, Massachusetts’ leading food security organization. “Summer Eats meal providers like Lowell Public Schools and Merrimack Valley Food Bank support their communities, help ease families’ budgets, and bring fun summer programming together with healthy, accessible meals each day, an essential service to move the needle on ending hunger in the Commonwealth.”

For more information about Summer Eats, including meal site locations, visit www.projectbread.org/summer-eats, text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304, or call 1-800-645-8333 for help in any language.