MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Marion and Alachua are among the North Central Florida counties offering free meals for area children during the summer months, when financially or food insecure families can find it tough to provide nutritional meals for kids on a daily basis.
Marion County’s Summer Food Service Plan (SFSP) provides free meals to children 1-18 years of age. There is no paperwork required and the kids can visit any location, whether or not they are enrolled in summer school or attend school at any particular location.
Some locations offer “congregate meal service,” which means the meals are consumed on-site, while others can provide three- or seven-day meal kits.
SFSP meals are available at the following locations:
| School Name | Operating Dates | Days / Distribution | Dates Closed |
| CAMP K | June 8 – July 2 | M–F | July 2 |
| Belleview High * | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Belleview Middle * | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Dunnellon Elementary * | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Dunnellon Middle | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Fessenden Elementary * | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Fordham Early Learning | June 2 – July 23 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Forest High | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Fort King Middle | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Fort McCoy K-8 * | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Harbour View Elementary | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Hillcrest School | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Horizon Academy | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Howard Middle | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Lake Weir High | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Lake Weir Middle | June 1 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Legacy Elementary | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Liberty Middle * | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Madison Street | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Maplewood Elementary | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| North Marion High | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| North Marion Middle * | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Oakcrest Elementary | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Ocala Springs Elementary* | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Ross Prairie Elementary* | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| South Ocala Elementary | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Vanguard High | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| West Port High * | June 2 – July 30 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Winding Oaks * | June 2 – July 23 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Wyomina Elementary | June 8 – June 25 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| * 3-Day Meal Kit Distribution Locations | |||
| Off-Site Locations | |||
| Boys & Girls Club Dunnellon | June 2 – July 31 | M–F | |
| Blessed Trinity | June 8 – July 24 | M–F | June 19; July 3 |
| Bridgeway | June 2 – July 9 | M–Th | July 2 |
| Central Christian Church | June 2 – July 29 | M–W | |
| Deluca – YMCA Family Center | June 2 – July 30 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Ed Croskey Center | June 8 – July 31 | M–F | June 19; July 3 |
| Howard Academy | June 2 – June 26 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| Boys & Girls Club Ocala | June 2 – July 31 | M–F | |
| New Zion Missionary | July 13 – July 16 | M–Th | |
| Boys & Girls Club Shores | June 2 – July 31 | M–F | |
| Moss Bluff Church | June 2 – July 1 | M–Th | Fridays |
| Shiloh | June 22 – June 26 | M–Th | Fridays |
| RR Bailey Lodge | June 8 – July 16 | M–W | July 2 |
| Revealing Truth Ministries | June 2 – July 30 | M–Th | Fridays; July 2 |
| 7-Day Meal Kit Distribution Sites | |||
| Anthony Elementary | June 4 – July 30 | Thursday | Fridays |
| Cross Roads Coffee House | June 1 – July 27 | Monday | Fridays; July 2 |
| Dunnellon Little League Complex | June 3 – July 29 | Wednesday | Fridays; July 2 |
| East Marion Elementary | June 1 – July 27 | Monday | Fridays; July 2 |
| Hammett Bowen Elementary | June 2 – July 28 | Tuesday | Fridays; July 2 |
| Ocala Regional Sportsplex (North Overflow Parking) | June 3 – July 29 | Wednesday | Fridays; July 2 |
| Reddick-Collier Elementary | June 4 – July 30 | Thursday | Fridays |
| Romeo Elementary | June 3 – July 29 | Wednesday | Fridays; July 2 |
| St. Mark’s Greek Orthodox Church | June 2 – July 28 | Tuesday | Fridays; July 2 |
| Weirsdale Presbyterian Church | June 2 – July 28 | Tuesday | Fridays; July 2 |
Families can also find the location nearest them online here, or by calling 211.
In Alachua County, free breakfasts and lunches are provided to kids 18 and younger through the Alachua County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services Department. The meals are available at approximately 70 sites throughout the county, including schools and community locations. Most sites only offer on-site meals, but there are also 12 “grab and go” meal pickup sites.
The Alachua program begins at most sites June 8, 2026, and continues through late July.
Residents can get more information online here or by calling 352-955-7539.
