ALACHUA COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The Alachua County School District is providing free meals to children 18 years old and younger over the summer break.

The meals will be provided through the Alachua County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) department as part of the Summer Meals Program.

The federal government funds the program, which is open to any child regardless of family income.

Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) will be serving meals at 79 different sites, including local schools and other locations.

ACPS says that children do not have to be enrolled at a particular school or program to receive meals. They also do not have to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals during the school year to utilize the program.

The district requires children to eat the meal on-site and states that families visiting schools for meals are asked to check in at the front office.

“Families can take their children to the site that’s most convenient for them,” said Jamie Lovett, Director of the district’s Food and Nutrition Services department. “They just show up during the serving times and enjoy a nutritious meal, with no registration required.”

The district plans also to operate seven mobile food sites this summer, one each in location: Alachua, Archer, East Gainesville, Hawthorne (with four stops), High Springs, Newberry (with two stops), and Waldo, where families can pick up food twice a week to cover seven days’ worth of meals combined.

The district will provide families with a bag containing the ingredients to prepare at-home meals for breakfast and lunch. The mobile sites are the only locations that allow families to pick up meals to prepare at home.

Baby formula, cereal, and food are also available. The district advises families to call the FNS office at 352-955-7539 two days in advance to make these arrangements.

The district anticipates that most sites will be operational by June 9 and will remain operational through July 25.

Meal dates and times will vary from site to site. For more details and information, please visit this link.

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