LISD announces free Summer Food Service Program

Once again this summer, the Laredo Independent School District will sponsor the free Summer Food Service Program. LISD Summer Food Service Program in conjunction with city and community agencies will provide free meal service to all children 18 and younger starting June 2, through Aug. 13.

The LISD Child Nutrition Program will be serving free meals including breakfast, lunch, snacks, and supper at 61 meal sites including 28 LISD campuses, city recreation centers, libraries, housing centers, churches, and other community sites throughout the city.

All LISD campuses are open feeding sites for youngsters from the surrounding neighborhood. Meals at the campuses will be provided Monday through Thursday. Kitchens will be open on Fridays at Martin, Nixon, and Cigarroa High Schools in order to provide meals to the community sites. Meals at the community sites will be provided Monday through Friday. To participate, just show up. You don't need to register or get a meal ticket and no identification is required.

The Summer Nutrition Program is offered statewide by local sponsors who operate sites where children up to 18 years-old can get meals at no charge. The service is open to all children, regardless of income. People who are over age 18 and enrolled in school programs for people with disabilities also can receive meals at no charge. The sites are located in areas where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.

More than 2,000 summer food meal sites across Texas are expected to be in operation. Many of the sites will offer recreational activities for children as well as meals at no charge.

According to Margaret Lopez, LISD Child Nutrition Director, last summer the Child Nutrition Department served 72,622 breakfasts, 166,190 lunches, 39,455 afternoon snacks, and 949 suppers for a grand total of 279,164 meals.

Meal sites are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information on Summer Food Program meal sites and hours of operation call 2-1-1 or visit the LISD website at www.lisd.org. For more details on the Summer Food Program visit www.summerfood.org.