Madison Metropolitan School District and City of Madison Kickoff Summer Meals Program at Elver Park

School Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham and Mayor Paul Soglin joined together with 1st District Alder Barbara McKinney and others to celebrate the kickoff of the MMSD Summer Food Program Monday at Elver Park on the City’s west side. The kickoff event highlighted the many sites across the city that offer free meals and the new Elver Park site that offers free summer meals to both children and adults.

"Hunger can be less visible during the summer months, but it has a profound impact on the development of a child," said Mayor Paul Soglin. "Our hope is that this event and these open sites demonstrate that families are not alone in the struggle to put food on the table."

"We are so grateful to the city to be able to expand our summer meal program," Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham said. "Our food service program does a great job providing summer meals and this year, together with the city, we’ll be able to ensure that we’re serving more of our students and families."

The MMSD Summer Food Program, which provides free summer meals to all children 18 and under at over 50 sites city wide, will run through August 12. The expansion efforts aim to serve more children through the program by increasing public awareness of and improving access to the free meals for both children and families.

Special efforts will take place at three meal sites this summer. The summer meal partners are adding Elver Park as a new summer community meal site, serving free lunches June 20-Aug 12, from 12:00-1:00pm to all children and to all adults who accompany children.

In addition to the Elver Park site, Lake View and Leopold Elementary Schools will serve free breakfast and lunch this summer to both children and accompanying adults. Adult meal sponsorship is funded through the City of Madison and other community and corporate partners in an effort to increase access and make open sites more welcoming to families. Program partners continue to seek funding for further summer meal expansions.

REAP Food Group will also be coordinating Farm to School educational lunchtime activities at these two community meal sites. All 50+ Summer Food Program sites will feature locally grown farm fresh fruits and vegetables, coordinated by REAP Food Group and MMSD Food and Nutrition Department.

Anyone interested in their nearest open meal site this summer are encouraged to call 2-1-1.