While summer is the time for fun in the sun, the season also brings hardships for many families. There’s a hidden hunger cliff as school lets out, as a staggering 87% of children receiving free and reduced-price lunches during the school year do not utilize free summer meal programs. Summer also brings a spike in household grocery, childcare and utility bills at a time when federal SNAP cuts only escalate food insecurity nationwide. In Pennsylvania, two primary programs aim to address this need: the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and SUN Bucks. In the summer of 2025, over 5.6 million meals were served at 2,110 sites across the Commonwealth, offering relief to families struggling to get food on the table.
Kids enjoying lunch with Nutritional Development Services
Summer meal programs make it super easy for kids to eat. At congregate meal sites statewide, any child under 18 can simply walk up and eat – no paperwork, no enrollment and no questions involved. SFSP offers free meals for kids and teens 18 and under, which can be eaten on site or taken to-go from schools, parks, libraries community centers and other sites. You can find these summer meals, often breakfast and/or lunch distributed on weekdays, using the USDA’s site finder, updated weekly to reflect ongoing changes.
SUN Bucks, or Summer EBT, provides $120 to households per eligible child to spend on groceries. Eligible children are those who qualified for free- or reduced-price lunches or whose families receive SNAP or TANF EBT. Many families receive these benefits automatically, though some households have to apply.
Families unsure how to proceed or seeking a nearby meal site can call 211, 1-(866)-3-HUNGRY or 1.877.8HAMBRE or text “SUMMER” to (914) 342-7744 or “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 877-877. Below are additional resources and information for regions throughout the Commonwealth.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia Mayor Parker distributes summer meals
The City of Philadelphia hosts 670 summer meal sites and a Summer Meals Kickoff Celebration on June 23. Its website links to a variety of resources including a summer meal finder with locations for SFSP meals, general meals, supplemental food and groceries, older adult meals and public benefits support. The Food Trust’s Nutrition Navigator also links to nutritional and budgeting education resources throughout the city and information about emergency food, SNAP and local farmers markets.
Kids enjoying lunch with Nutritional Development Services
Organizations and community centers can apply to become summer meal sites by partnering with Nutrition Development Services (NDS) ((215) 895-3470, option 1) or CBS Food Program ((215) 938-0201, option 2).
Pittsburgh
In the city of Pittsburgh, the CitiParks’ Summer Food Service Program provides free summer meals for kids at 46 different locations throughout the city. These meals are available for children up to age 18 and those with intellectual disabilities up to 21 years old. Check out the master spreadsheet detailing to determine which places serve breakfast, morning snack, hot and/or cold lunch and afternoon snack, as well as which days they’re open. If you’d like more information, call the CitiParks Food Programs office at (412) 571-3291.
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank also runs Summer Youth Cafe, its name for the federal SFSP version. Check out the robust list of sites by the county.
There are also numerous locations to get SUN summer meals, organized by Pittsburgh Public Schools in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. They can eaten on-site in the city and are available to-go on the outskirts and more rural regions.
Allentown
For children in the Allentown area, free meals are provided by the Allentown School District for anyone under 18, regardless of enrollment. Kids can head to Trexler Middle School and South Mountain Middle School from June 23 through July 31, Monday through Thursday, for breakfast and lunch.
St. Luke’s also offers summer meals in the region. In Allentown, head to Star Community Health’s Sigal Center for free grab-and-go meals and, in Quakertown, summer meals are served at Free Fall Action Park along with non-perishable food to take home on Fridays.
Rural Access
USDA Summer Meals Site Finder
For those living in rural parts of Pennsylvania, access to summer food is further complicated by distance and transportation logistics. In 2023, the Consolidated Appropriations Act permanently authorized the non-congregate summer meals option for rural communities. This means that, instead of gathering to eat daily meals on-site, kids and their families can get the food to-go and even sometimes delivered. There are roughly 200 of these non-congregate meal sites across the Commonwealth. Instead of distributing one meal at a time, operators can provide up to 10 days worth of meals or five days worth of bulk groceries, making the process more efficient for everyone. Parents and guardians can pick up the food without the child present or, in some cases, receive direct home delivery.
In Bucks County, outside of Philadelphia, two school districts are mobilizing their summer meal distribution to reach more students. Bensalem Township School District and Centennial School District offer breakfasts and lunches at a variety of sites. The bus routes greatly increase accessibility for students in those areas and serve as a model that other suburban and rural districts can follow.
Supporting Summer Meals
A young girl enjoying lunch with Nutritional Development Services
According to a study by the Food Research and Action Center, only one in eight PA students who received free lunch during the school year also got a summer lunch through the SUN Meal program in 2024, signifying a major access gap for those facing hunger. Support is always needed for getting these meals to those who really need them at a time when food insecurity runs rampant.
There are a few ways Pennsylvanians can offer help with summer meal programs. For one, organizations can apply to become a Meal Sponsor. This is open to schools, government units, nonprofit organizations, summer camps and universities or colleges. Members of the organization complete a training, hire and supervise staff and volunteers and manage all meal preparation and distribution logistics.
For organizations not ready to operate a full program but still able to offer and supervise food service, operating a meal site is a great option. You’re essentially offering your grounds and facility for distribution and can provide recreational or enrichment activities if you wish! Check out the list of Meal Sponsors to find one near you, and see if they could use an additional site. Organizations unable to provide food service can contract with vendors called Food Service Management Companies (FSMC).
For individuals looking to offer support for summer meals programs, donating time and/or money remain the best options. As local food banks typically serve as the backbones for these programs, volunteering with them or sending direct monetary donations to Feeding PA or the food banks are wonderful ways to help your neighbors facing hunger this summer.
- Feature photo: City of Philadelphia
- Nutritional Development Services photos: Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Nutritional Development Services
- Photos 4 and 5: Canva
- Meal site maps: USDA Summer Meals Site Finder
