Long Beach Parks to Offer Free Summer Food Service Program for Children and Youth June 16 through August 22
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Long Beach, CA ~ Long Beach, CA - As summer approaches, the City of Long Beach is gearing up to provide free, nutritious meals to children and youth through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program. This marks the 46th year that the City's Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) will offer this vital service to support the health and wellbeing of young residents.

Mayor Rex Richardson emphasized the importance of ensuring that every child has access to nourishing meals even when school is out. "For more than 40 years, the Summer Food Service Program has been a vital service, ensuring our young residents have access to wholesome meals and supporting our community's health and wellbeing," he stated.

From June 16 to August 22, 2025, PRM will provide free meals at various parks in Long Beach on weekdays between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. with the exception of holidays on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, July 4. In addition, Bret Harte and Brewitt Neighborhood Libraries will also serve meals on Tuesdays through Fridays from June 17 to August 8. The program is open to all children and youth between the ages of 1 and 18 years old with no registration required. However, infant meals will not be provided and lunches must be consumed in designated eating areas.

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The meals provided through this program are well-balanced and nutritious, including cold components such as milk, juice, fruits, and vegetables. Eligible youth can simply show up at a participating location during designated times to receive a meal.

This year's Summer Food Service Program will operate at a total of 24 locations in Long Beach and Signal Hill. A complete list of times and locations can be found on the Summer Food Program webpage or by calling the Summer Food Office at 562.570.3524.

The program was first established in Long Beach in 1979 and has since served over two million meals to children and teens between the ages of 1 and 18 years old. Its main goal is to ensure that children have access to the same well-balanced meals they receive during the school year, even during summer break. The program is funded by USDA and administered by the California Department of Education.

This initiative aligns with the City's Summer of Opportunity program, which focuses on promoting positive development among Long Beach youth while also addressing youth violence. More information about Summer of Opportunity activations and the City's summer activities calendar can be found on the City's Summer of Opportunity webpage.

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