fighting hunger

Districts Roll Out Summer Meal Programs

Dallas ISD is leaning into lessons learned in the pandemic to feed students this summer

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It's the last day of school for students in the Dallas and Fort Worth ISDs after a very long year. They are among numerous districts in North Texas that will stay busy helping families fight hunger during the summer months.

Lessons from the pandemic are guiding the summer meals program in the Dallas ISD.

"What we learned is that we need to be able to provide meals like htis during the summers. We saw such an increased participation last year because of the pandemic but also becuase they didn't have to stay if they're not enrolled in summer school. So they could take the meals and go," said Julie Fletcher, director of support services in the food and child nutrition services department.

On Monday, June 22, the district's Summer Meals Program will begin, serving free breakfast and lunch to children at over 50 schools and community sites throughout the summer. Parents can find the sites and serving times online at www.dallasisd.org/fcns or by phone, calling 211 or texting "FOODTX" to 877877.

"They need to know there's no cost. That's the biggest thing. And each week our meals are worth more than $70. So they'll really help the budget as we're coming out of the pandemic," Fletcher said.

Fort Worth ISD is offering free breakfasts and lunches beginning Tuesday, June 22 through Thursday July 22, 2021. Meals will subsequently be distributed on Mondays-Thursdays. Weekend meals will be distributed on Thursdays.

The program is open to all children, up to age 18, who wish to receive a free meal and does not require enrollment in any summer program.

The free meals are available at more than 60 school sites:

# 002 Arlington Heights High School                       # 005 Dunbar High School                                       

# 006 Eastern Hills High School                               # 008 Northside High School

# 010 Paschal High School                                        # 011 Trimble Tech High School

# 016 O.D. Wyatt High School                                   # 042 Daggett Middle School

# 044 J.P Elder Middle School                                  # 049 Kirkpatrick Middle School

# 050 McLean Middle School                                    # 051 Meacham Middle School

# 052 Meadowbrook Middle School                          # 053 William Monnig Middle School

# 056 Riverside Middle School                                  # 057 Rosemont Middle School

# 059 J. Martin Jacquet Middle School                    # 060 Wedgewood Middle School                            

# 061 Leonard Middle School                                    # 064 Forest Oak 6th Middle School                         

# 070 McClung Middle School                                  # 071 Benbrook Middle/High School                       

# 084 World Languages Institute                              # 103 Benbrook Elementary School                         

# 105 West Handley Elementary School                   # 110 Carroll Peak Elementary School                     

# 115 George Clarke Elementary School                    # 122 Diamond Hill Elementary School                   

# 123 S.S. Dillow Elementary School                         # 125 Maude I. Logan Elementary School                

# 125 Eastern Hills Elementary School                     # 126 East Handley Elementary School                    

# 127 C.C. Moss Elementary School                          # 130 Harlean Beal Elementary School                    

# 135 Van Zandt Guinn Elementary School              # 138 H.V. Helbing Elementary School                    

# 143 D. McRae Elementary School                          # 147 Morningside Elementary School                     

# 150 Oakhurst Elementary School                           # 152 Oaklawn Elementary School                           

# 153 A.M. Pate Elementary School                          # 154 M.L. Phillips Elementary School                     

# 160 M.M. Walton Elementary School                    # 161 Sam Rosen Elementary School

# 162 Sagamore Hill Elementary School                   # 166 South Hi Mount Elementary School               

# 168 Springdale Elementary School                        # 169 Sunrise McMillan Elementary School            

# 176 Waverly Park Elementary                                 # 177 Westcliff Elementary School                           

# 178 Westcreek Elementary School                         # 180 Western Hills Elementary School                   

# 186 David K. Sellars Elementary School                # 206 Bill J. Elliott Elementary School

# 208 T.A. Sims Elementary School                          # 209 Edward J. Briscoe Elementary School

# 220 Alice Contreras Elementary School                 # 221 Western Hills Primary School

# 222 Clifford Davis Elementary School                   # 225 Bonnie Brae Elementary School                     

# 226 Seminary Hills Park Elementary School         # 227 Dolores Huerta Elementary School

Serving dates and times for each campus may vary. For more information, please visit www.summerfood.org or call the FWISD Child Nutrition Department at (817) 814-3540 or (817) 814-3500.

Other school districts in North Texas are also continuing free meals during summer.

Arlington ISD families can find information here.

Free meals are available in the Denton ISD on Tuesdays.

For Frisco ISD, get information here.

Plano ISD distributes free meals on Tuesdays.

Weatherford ISD offers two days to pick up free meals.

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