Broward schools serve free summer meals to children countywide

Free breakfasts, lunches, snacks and suppers were available at 96 Broward County Public Schools sites this summer, giving children and teens 18 and younger a no-cost meal option without registration, an application or proof of income. The meals had to be eaten on-site and were offered first-come, first-served.

At Coral Springs Elementary, crews were serving daily meals even to children who were not enrolled in summer school, so long as they ate on campus. That site was among the Broward schools listed through July 23, along with Forest Glen Middle School and Maplewood Elementary School in Coral Springs. The broader county network reached campuses in Lauderdale Lakes, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Plantation, while the feeding program was operating at 69 schools and, at most sites, would run through July 23.

Theresa Battie, a triple manager at Broward County Public Schools, grew up in a low-income family and sees the program as a way to make sure children still have access to nutritious food during the long summer break. Parents at the sites said the meals eased pressure on household budgets at a time when food prices remain a concern, and one parent said the district’s meals were a better option than fast food when families need something reliable and affordable. Another said simply having food in children’s stomachs helps reduce stress when money is tight.

Broward County Public Schools is the sixth-largest district in the nation and the second-largest in Florida, serving more than 236,600 students across 239 schools, centers and technical colleges, plus 86 charter schools. Florida’s Summer BreakSpot program places meals at schools, libraries, parks and community centers, and families can locate sites through an interactive map or by calling 2-1-1.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Summer Resource Map is meant to identify gaps in service and improve access to summer meals. Summer meal programs exist because children lose school meals when classes end. The Food Research & Action Center said just over 2.8 million children received a lunch on an average day in July 2023, down from July 2022 after pandemic-era waivers ended. About half of Florida children qualify for free or reduced-price lunches during the school year.