Will County families eligible for Northern Illinois Food Bank free summer meals program

Summer is often the hungriest time of year for children who rely on free or reduced-price school meals during the academic year.

To fill this gap for children and families, Northern Illinois Food Bank is once again launching its free summer meals for kids program, now through Aug. 15.

The food bank is working in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education to provide 7,500 free meals daily to kids across 13 counties –including Will – in suburban and rural northern Illinois.

“Summer meals are a lifeline for families,” Julie Yurko, president and CEO of Northern Illinois Food Bank, said in a news release announcing the program.

More than 4,000 schools across the region participate in the National School Lunch Program, and more than a million students – about 51% – rely on free or reduced-price meals during the school year, according to the food bank.

“When school is out, many of these children are at risk of summer hunger,” Yurko said. “That’s why we’re committed to ensuring every child has the nutritious food they need to grow, learn and thrive all year long.”

The free summer meals are available at eligible sites including parks, libraries, churches, schools and community centers. Meals must be consumed on-site and are completely free, with no registration, ID or income requirements, according to the food bank.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Summer Food Service Program.

To find a nearby summer meal site, visit solvehungertoday.org/child-nutrition-programs (click the Summer Meals tab) or call 800-359-2163.

Help with summer groceries

Illinois families also can apply to receive a one-time summer electronic benefit transfer of $120 for each eligible child. Benefits are distributed on a preloaded EBT card and can be used at authorized retail locations, including some farmers’ markets, according to the food bank.

Summer EBT provides families with a monthly grocery benefit to feed their children for three summer months – June through August – when children are not receiving free or reduced-price meals at school.

For more information about Summer EBT benefit, reach out Northern Illinois Food Bank’s SNAP team at 844-600-7627 or snap@northernilfoodbank.org – or visit SolveHungerToday.org.