Summer is a great time to be a kid — unless you’re hungry and can’t get enough to eat.

One option for families is the Summer Food Service Program, providing free meals around Pierce County for kids ages 1 through 18. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Officials say they’re trying to reach as many children as possible who get help the rest of the year through the free-and-reduced lunch program at school.

Last year, according to the OSPI, the summer program served an average of 51,000 meals per day at 989 sites around Washington.

“Many children don’t eat because they can’t get to the sites,” said Jennifer Mitchell, who supervises the program for OSPI. “Transportation is a barrier.”

“We are improving access; all we can do is try to do better,” Mitchell said.

The meals are served at area parks, schools, churches and community centers. Days of the week, times and meals offered may vary at the different sites, and are subject to change. No weekend meals are provided. For more information, call the phone number listed next to the sponsor of the site you are interested in.

The food is available to children, but not accompanying parents or other adults. No money, ID or proof of citizenship are required.

For additional information on the program, go to: resources.parenthelp123.org/services/summer-meals or call or call the Family Food Hotline: 888-436-6392 (888-4FOODWA), or call the Free Summer Food Contact Number: 866-EAT-MEAL (866-328-6325). TTY number 360-664-3631.

Bethel Schools: 253-683-6910

Evergreen Elementary	1311 172nd St. E.
Chester H. Thompson Elementary	303 159th St. E.
Shining MountainElementary	21615 38th Ave. E.
Spanaway Elementary	412 165th St. E.

Chinese Community Center: 253-376-3553

ChineseCommunity Center	5025 N. Pearl

Clover Park School District: 253-583-7380

Lakes High	10320 Farwest Drive SW
Hillside Elementary	Garcia Blvd.and Magnolia Blvd.
Oakwood Elementary	3230 85th St. S.
Tyee Park Elementary	11920 Seminole Road S.W.
Park Lodge Elementary	6300 100th St. SW
Dower Elementary	7817 John Dower Road W.
Lochburn Middle School	5431 Steilacoom Blvd. SW
Woodbrook Middle School	14920 Spring St.
Clover Park High School	11023 Gravelly Lake Drive SW

Enumclaw School District: 360-802-7714

City Park	1350 Cole St.

Food Lifeline: 206-545-6600, ext. 3660

Boys & Girls Club - Gonyea	5136 N. 26th St.
Boys & Girls Club - Topping Club	3875 S. 66th St.
Boys & Girls Club - Eastside	4818 E. Portland Ave.
Boys & Girls Club - Spanaway Middle School	15701 B St. E.
Boys & Girls Club - Lakewood	10402 Kline St. SW
Boys & Girls Club - Al Davies	1620 S. 17th St.

Franklin Pierce School District: 253-298-4602, ext. 4602

ChristensenElementary	10232 Barnes Lane S.
Brookdale Elementary	611 132nd St. S.
Perry G. Keithley Middle School	12324 12th Ave. S.
Midland Elementary School	2300 105th St. E.
Franklin Pierce High School	11002 18th Ave. E.
Tahoma View Apts.	11208 1st Ave. Court E.

House of Prayer Church of God in Christ: 253-473-6612

Agape Christian Ministries	4814 108th St. SW
House of Prayer Foundation	6602 S. Ferdinand St.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord: 253-966-4060

Hillside Middle School Teen Center	1876 Hillside Drive NE

Metro Parks, Tacoma: 253-305-1022

Franklin Park	1201 S. Puget Sound Ave.
Portland Ave. Park	3513 Portland Ave.
South Park	4851 S. Tacoma Way
STAR Center	3873 S. 66th St.
Titlow Park	8425 6th Ave.
Verlo Playfield	4321 McKinley Ave.
Wapato Park	6500 S. Sheridan Ave.
Wright Park	501 S. I St.
Winners Gym	3523 McKinley Ave.
Colburn Park	5506 20th St. E.

Peninsula Community Foundation: 253-720-4453

Key Peninsula Civic Center	17010 S. Vaughn Road KPN

St. Leo Food Connection: 253-383-5048

Canterbrook Apartments	7212 150th St. SW
Evergreen Ridge	12623 Lincoln Ave.
Fir Acres	12721 Addison St. SW
Hillside Terrace	2330 S. G St.
Lincoln AvenueApartments	12635 Lincoln Ave.
Pine RidgeApartments	5618 Boston Ave. SW
Madison Complex	3101 S. 43rd St.
Salishan (Tacoma Housing Authority)	44th and R Street
Tillicum Library	14916 Washington Ave. SW
Tyler Square Apartments	3202 S. Tyler St.
Madronne Apartments	3230 S. Mason Ave.
McCarver Park	2301 S. J St.
Windsor Court Mobile Park	3314 96th St. S.

Sumner School District: 253-891-6450

Daffodil Valley Elementary	1509 Valley Ave.
Liberty Ridge Elementary	12202 209th Ave. Court E.

Tacoma School District: 253-571-3378

Arlington Elementary	3002 S. 72nd St.
Birney Elementary	1202 S. 76th
Boze Elementary	1140 E. 65th St.
Bryant Elementary	717 S. Grant Ave.
Downing Elementary	2502 North Orchard
Edison Elementary	5830 South Pine
Fawcett Elementary	126 E. 60th
Fern Hill Elementary	8442 S. Park Ave.
Franklin Elementary	1402 S. Lawrence
Gray Middle School	6229 S. Tyler St.
Helen B. Stafford Elementary School	1615 S. 92nd St.
Jason Lee Middle School	602 N. Sprague Ave.
Jefferson Elementary	6501 N. 23rd St
Lister Elementary	2106 E. 44th St.
Lyon Elementary	101 E. 46th St.
Manitou Park Elementary	4330 S. 66th St.
Mann Elementary	1002 S. 52nd. St.
Mount Tahoma High	4634 S. 74th St.
Point Defiance Elementary	4330 N. Visscher
Roosevelt Elementary	3550 E. Roosevelt Ave.
School of the Arts (SOTA)	1950 Pacific Ave.
Science and Math Institute (SAMI)	5501 N. Pearl St.
Sheridan Elementary	5317 McKinley Ave.
Stadium High School	111 North E. St.
Stanley Elementary	1712 S. 17th St.
Truman Middle School	5801 N. 35th
Whitman Elementary	1120 S. 39th
Blix Elementary School	1302 E. 38th St.
Delong Elementary	4901 S. 14th St.
Giaudrone Middle School	4902 S. Alaska St.
Larchmont Elementary	8601 E. B St.
Baker Middle School	8320 S. I St.
Foss High School	2112 S. Tyler
Skyline Elementary	2301 N. Mildred
Geiger Elementary	621 S. Jackson
Mason Middle School	2812 N. Madison
Truman Middle School	5801 N. 35th
Northeast Tacoma Elementary	5412 29th St. N.E.
Meeker Middle School	4402 Nassau Ave. N.E.
First Creek Middle School	1801 E. 56th St.

The Evergreen State College: 360-867-6012

Tacoma Campus

1210 Sixth Ave.

The Salvation Army: 253-847-2511, ext. 13

Camp Arnold

33712 Webster Road E.

YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap: 253-460-8894

YMCA Child Care at Custer Elementary	7700 Steilacoom Blvd. SW
YMCA at Geiger Montessori Elementary	7401 S. Eighth St.
Mel Korum Family YMCA	302 43rd Ave. SE
Morgan Family YMCA	1002 S. Pearl St.
Lakewood Family YMCA	9715 Lakewood Drive SW