Program offers summer meals for kids

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The end of the school year means a few weeks of freedom and fun for students across Central Indiana.

But for many, it also means the end of one thing they need each day and are guaranteed to get in school: a healthy meal.

What you may not know, though, is that there are free meals available for children all summer long in nearly every corner of Indianapolis.

Glenn Moehling helps coordinate the Summer Servings program, which is spreading the word about the many places families can go to get good meals for children.

ONLINE EXTRA | Search for a Summer Servings location near you.

"There actually are such meals at more than 220 sites across Marion County,” Moehling said, “Summer Servings sites meals where kids can go to get a healthy, nutritious meal for free."

Summer Servings is a fairly new name and aim for an old-but-underutilized program; similar to the lunch plans that sustain students during school, the federal government has money set aside for summer meals.

Moehling says word of free meals usually comes as a surprise to most parents.

"They almost always consistently tell us, 'I did not know this was available, I do not know where to find the meals, and we did not know that it existed,'" Moehling said.

The few 'rules' are extremely simple: look up the nearest Summer Servings location, be under 18, show up, and eat it there.

"There's no sign-in form or check-in or whatever process," Moehling says. "If you come, the meals are there. You can get access to a meal."

To find the Summer Servings location closest to you, click here , call 211 or send a text message to 36729 with the word FOOD on your mobile phone.