Houston ISD and other area school districts offer free meals to students during the summer – Houston Public Media

Children will have access to free, healthy meals this summer through Houston ISD’s Summer Meals Program, which started Monday.

All Houston children under the age of 18 and students with disabilities enrolled through age 21 are eligible to receive meals through the program sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture. No form of identification or reservation is required.

HISD will offer free breakfast from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to noon every weekday through July 19, except June 19, July 4 and July 5 in select locations. Locations. This is the first year the district has offered meals on Fridays.

Hernan Urrego, HISD director of operations and nutrition services coordinator, said meals vary from hot and cold lunches, including burgers, pizza and chicken nuggets, but also Italian, Mexican and Asian dishes.

Urrego said 65 percent of families who attend HISD live below the poverty line. Still, he said the district has not seen high attendance rates in recent years.

“For a lot of the students that we feed during the summer, the only meals they get are from what we provide,” Urrego said. “We see the need, that’s why we do this every summer. We don’t want to leave these kids without food all summer when we know they need it.”

Similar programs with the department are offered in other Houston districts, in areas where more than 50% of children qualify for free or reduced-price meals, said Susan D’Amico, executive director of nutrition services infant of Aldine ISD.

Below is a list of neighborhoods that offer free or reduced-price meals during the summer. For more locations, visit the department website or text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304 for meal site location and hours.

Aldine ISD

Most locations are open June 4-27. Times and dates vary by location. Visit the neighborhood website for more information.

Cypress Fairbanks ISD

Most CFISD elementary schools will offer meals from June 10 to July 11. They mainly offer breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and lunch from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Most middle and high schools offer breakfast from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Times and dates vary by location. Families can check out the neighborhood website for more information.

Fort Bend ISD

Some FBISD locations began providing food earlier in the summer and will continue through the end of July. Times and dates vary by location. Visit the neighborhood website for more details and menus.

Matt Antignolo, FBISD executive director for child nutrition, said many students rely on school meals throughout the school year and that need doesn’t go away in the summer. However, he said taking children to eating places can create barriers that reduce attendance rates.

“I would love to feed 1,000 people in every location, but we just don’t do it, we just don’t see those numbers,” Antignolo said. “We are definitely ready to welcome additional members to the community.”

Conroe ISD

CISD is offering meals from June 3 through the end of June. Most locations serve breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., but times and dates vary by location. Visit the neighborhood website for more information.

ISD Spring Branch

SBISD began offering meals in early June and will continue through July. Most establishments serve breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Times and dates vary by location. Families can visit the district website to Locations And menus.